
Langton Performer 242 (4844). A famous Hackney sire. UwiR-d by T. C. 
Stevens of New York. From a photograph of a painting 



TYPES AND BREEDS OF 
FARM ANIMALS 



BY 



CHARLES S. PLUMB 

Professor of Animal Husbandry in the College of Agriculture 
OF THE Ohio State University 



GINN & COMPANY 

BOSTON . NEW YORK • CHICAGO • LONDON 



LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Copies Received 

DEC 24 '906 

n Cepyrlgtit Entry 

cues oC xxc, No. 

COPY B. 






Entered at Stationers' Hall 



Copyright, 1906 
By CHARLES S. PLUMB 



ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 

66.11 



<gl)t atbtnaum j )rtag 

GINN & CuMl'ANV . PRO- 
PRIETORS . BOSTON . U.S.A. 



FOREWORD 

The need for such a volume as this will no doubt be best 
expressed by a demand for it on the part of live-stock students. 
The author, however, desires to call attention to the fact that 
not since 1888 has a volume devoted to the breeds of horses, 
cattle, sheep, and swine been published in America. The most 
recent work devoted to the breeds entirely omitted a considera- 
tion of the horse. Further than this but very few books have 
thus far been published in the English language that have been 
strictly breed studies. 

This book differs somewhat from others that have preceded it, 
A number of breeds have received recognition for the first time, 
these being the ass, the mule, the angora and milch goats, — all 
animals of importance in certain localities. The more important 
or better known breeds have received more detailed considera- 
tion than those which may be regarded as the lesser known, and 
have been so ranked in the make-up of the book. In numerous 
instances much new historical information has been gathered. 
During the past twenty years a great amount of evidence bear- 
ing on breed merit has been secured at the agricultural experi- 
ment stations, at expositions, on race courses, and at fair grounds. 
In the breed reviews in this work much of this recent evidence 
is given a place. Brief consideration is also given to some of 
the more important foundation families or tribes, and to individual 
animals that have made a deep impression upon the breed. The 
author has taken the liberty of commenting on the weak as well 
as on the strong points of the breeds, but this has been done in a 
nonpartisan spirit, in harmony with the views of capable critics. 

In the preparation of this volume a wide range of breed liter- 
ature has been consulted. Following the breed discussion of 
each group is given a list of reference works to which the 
author is indebted for helpful information. Some of these are 

vii 



viii FORKWORD 

prefixed by an asterisk (*), as especially worthy the attention of 
the student. Numerous pamphlets, the stud, herd, and flock 
books of many breeding associations, and the documents of the 
United States Department of Agriculture and of various experi- 
ment stations have contributed materially to this work. Special 
recognition is here given of the great amount of important in- 
formation regarding the breeds, published in the volumes of such 
valuable journals as the Breeders Gorjettc, the old National Live 
Stock Journal, the Live Stock Journal (England), \.hc Joiniial of 
the Royal Agricultural Society of England, the Journal of the 
Highlatul atul the Agricultural Society of Scotland, as well as 
numerous other excellent live-stock and agricultural periodicals 
l)ul)lislK'(l in America and elsewhere. All these have contrib- 
uted materially to such value as this book may possess. 

Much of the material in this volume has been submitted in 
manuscript or j^roof to the frank criticism of many eminent 
breeders, that justice might be rendered each breed. While 
many of the illustrations are from photographs taken by the 
author at home and abroad, not a few are contributed by generous 
breeders and friends, for which credit is given elsewhere. The 
author is especially grateful to his associate, Dr. Carl W. Gay, 
for helpful suggestions and assistance. 

These brief studies of the types and breeds of farm animals 
are naturally far from complete. They are intended for the stu- 
dent or the stockman who sees the long road of education before 
him. The subject-matter is arranged with some regard to system- 
atic grouping, with the hope that it may in a measure meet the 
requirements of the class room, the teacher, and the practical 
stockman on the farm. 

CHARLES S. PLUMB 

Ohio .SiATi'. Univk.rsity 
Cui.UMHii.s, Ohio 



CONTENTS 



Chapter 

I. The Prehistoric Horse 

II. The Arab Horse 

III. The Thoroughbred . 

IV. The American Saddle Horse 
V. The Roadster Type 

VI. The American Trotter 

VII. The Pacer 

VIII. The Orloff Trotter 

IX. The Coach or Carriage Hoi 

X. The Hackney 

XI. The French Coach . 

XII. The German Coach 

XI II. The Cleveland Bay 

Xl\'. The Draft Type . 

X\'. The Percheron 

X\'I. The French Draft 

X\II. The Clydesdale 

Will. The Shire . 

XIX. The Belgian . 

XX. The Suffolk . 

X.\I. Ponies .... 

.\.\l I. Shetland Pony 

XXI I I. The A.SS .... 

XXIV. The Mule 
XXV. Beef Type of Cattle 

XXVI. The Shorthorn . 

XX\'II. The Polled Durham 

XX\'III. The Hereford 

XXIX. The Aberdeen Angus 

XXX. The Galloway 

XXXI. The Sussex 

XXXII. The West Highland . 

XXXIII. Dairy Type of Cattle 

XXXIV. The Jersey . 
XXXV. The Holstein-Friesian 

XXX\T. The Guern.sey 

XXXVII. The Ayrshire . 



Type 



Page 
I 

7 

14 
26 

33 

36 

. 49 

54 

.58 

63 

, 72 

81 

. 86 

92 

, 98 

1 1 1 

114 

124 

133 

140 

, 146 

150 

155 
161 
169 

175 
197 
201 
213 
225 
234 
238 

243 
249 
264 

276 
287 



CONTENTS 



Chapter 




XXXVIII. 


The 


XXXIX. 


The 


XL. 


The 


XLI. 


Dual 


XLII. 


The 


XLIII. 


The 


XLIV. 


The 


XLV. 


The 


XLVI. 


The 


XLV II. 


The 


XLVI II. 


The 


XLIX. 


The 


L. 


The 


LI. 


The 


LII. 


The 


LIII. 


The 


LIV. 


The 


LV. 


The 


LVI. 


The 


LVII. 


The 


LVI 1 1. 


The 


LIX. 


The 


LX. 


The 


LXI. 


The 


LXII. 


The 


LXI 1 1. 


The 


LXIV. 


The 


LXV. 


The 


LXVI. 


The 


LXVII. 


The 


LXVIII. 


The 


LXIX. 


The 


LXX. 


The 


LXXI. 


The 


LXX 1 1. 


The 


LXX 1 1 1. 


The 


LXX IV. 


The 


LXXV. 


The 


LXXVI. 


The 


LXXVII. 


The 


LX.WIII. 


The 


INDEX 





Dutch Belted .... 

French Canadian .... 

Kerry ...... 

T'urpose Type of Cattle . 

Red Polled' 

Devon ...... 

Brown Swiss .... 

Merino or Fine-Wool Type of Sheep 

American Merino 

Delaine Merino .... 

Ranibouillet ..... 

Mutton Type of Sheep . 
Southdown ..... 

Shropshire ..... 

O.xford Down .... 

Hampshire Down .... 

Dorset Horn .... 

Cheviot ...... 

Suffolk Down .... 

Tunis ...... 

Leicester ..... 

Cotswold ...... 

Lincoln ..... 

Kent or Romney Marsli . 

Black Placed Highland 

Angora Goat ..... 

Milch Goat 

American Type of Pig . 
Berkshire ..... 

Poland-China .... 

Chester White .... 

Duroc- Jersey ..... 

Cheshire ..... 

Victoria ...... 

Essex ...... 

Small Yorkshire .... 

Suffolk 

Bacon Type of Pig 
Large Yorkshire or Large White 
Tamworth ..... 

Thin Rind or Hampshire 



TYPES AND BREEDS OF 
FARM ANIMALS 

PART I— THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 
CHAPTER I 

THE PREHISTORIC HORSE 

The existence of the prehistoric horse, in the light of compara- 
tively recent investigations, has become thoroughly well known 
and comprehended by scientific men. The discoveries of the 
Whitney expedition, under the direction of the American Mu- 
seum of Natural History of New York, have provided a wealth 
of most valuable material in this field. ^ 

The first discovery of the prehistoric horse in America was 
made by Mitchell in 1826 near the Navesink Highlands in New 
Jersey, and caused great discussion. About 1850 Dr. Leidy 
made similar discoveries in Nebraska. Following these came 
further finds, until late in the nineteenth century the wide dis- 
tribution of this early horse in North and South America was 
well understood. Geographically speaking, these remains have 
been found all over the Southern States, in the Northeastern 
and Middle States, in California and Oregon, and in greatest 
abundance in the so-called Bad Lands of Nebraska, Wyoming, 
and South Dakota. 

' The author's discussion of this subject is based on the published researches 
of the .American Museum of Natural History, and especially the writings of 
Professor H. F. Osbom of Columbia University and Dr. W. D. Matthew of the 
American Museum. The Century Magazine, November, 1904, has a valuable con- 
tribution on this subject by Professor Osbom. 



2 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

The world-wide distribution of the horse in prehistoric times 
is now well understood. Besides the references to discoveries in 
North America, fossil remains have been found in Patagonia, 
South America, and in earth and sand deposits in various parts 
of Europe which existed previous to the Glacial period. In 1901 
most interesting discoveries were made of drawings of horses in 
the cave of La Mouthe, France, which it is believed date back 
to the Stone Age. These drawings were partly cut in rock and 





■HP!r IjHHIII^HHHI 




^^^^^- ^ . 


^^3 



Fig. I. Skeleton of prehistoric horse from Lower Pleistocene of Texas, in 
American Museum of Natural History. Reproduced by courtesy of the 
American Museum 

partly made in ocher, and represented animals associated with the 
chase. These cave drawings are very clear, and show a horse 
with no forelock and a head with Roman-nose character, also one 
with a head similar to that of the Celtic pony. From the evi- 
dence left in the caves of France it is thought a larger type 
of horse lived toward the south, while farther north a smaller 
form existed. It is also fairly well established that the ass was 
known in Europe at lliis jieriod. 

The evolution of the horse from the prehistoric to present form 
covers geological ages of time and represents a passing of 



THE PREHISTORIC HORSE 3 

perhaps three million years. Careful investigation and dis- 
coveries show that animals of the horse class existed in the 
Lower Eocene period and gradually passed upward through 
twelve stages of development in the course of geological time, 
becoming more and more developed toward the present-day 
type as the geological periods became more and more recent. 
These various forms properly grouped may be briefly described 
as follows : 

1. HymcotJicriiini. E.xisted in Lower Eocene period. Only 
the skull has been found. The teeth display six rounded knobs 
or cusps on upper molars and four on lower. Found only in 
London Clay, England. 

2. Eohippiis. From Lower Eocene period. Teeth vary some 
from above. Fore foot has four complete toes and splint of a 
fifth. Hind foot has three toes and splint. Found in Wyoming 
and New Mexico. Were about size of fox terrier, and known 
as "dawn horses." 

3 and 4. ProtoroJiippus and OroJiippiis. From Middle Eocene 
period. In these animals the splints have disappeared, leaving 
the complete toes, as in Eohippus. The crests on the molars 
are more apparent, and the last premolar has become almost like 
the molars. This type was about the size of a small dog, perhaps 
fourteen inches high. The Protorohippus was discovered in 1880 
in Wyoming. 

5. EpiJiippus. From Upper Eocene period. Only incomplete 
specimens have been found. The teeth have gone through 
changes with more crescents and crests, with another premolar 
tooth becoming like the molars. There are four toes in front 
and three behind, but the central toe in each is larger and 
stronger and more important than the side toes. 

6 and 7. McsoJiippiis. From Oligocene period. There are 
three toes on each foot and a splint representing the fifth toe of 
the fore foot. The middle toe is now much larger than it was in 
the preceding, the side toes bearing but little weight of the body. 
Three of the premolars have also become like full molars. In 
the Middle Oligocene is found one species about the size of a 
coyote, or eighteen inches high, while in the Upper Oligocene is 
another species as large as a sheep. 



4 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

8. AnchitJicriiini. From Lower Miocene period. Is much like 
Mesohippus, but is larger and has the crests of the teeth some- 
what higher and more complete. This form may not be in direct 
line of descent, but may be a side branch. Found in both Europe 
and America. 

9. ParahippHS and HypoJiippns. From Middle Miocene period. 
The tooth crests in Parahippus are much higher, the upper molars 
are changing in form, and a second pair of crescents is formed. 
Hypohippus is off the direct line of descent. A complete skeleton 
of this form, now in the American Museum, was discovered in 1901 
in Colorado. This species attained the size of a Shetland pony. 
The fore foot has small rudiments of the first and fifth toes, but 
there is no splint of the fifth, as in Mesohippus. The second and 
fourth toes lightly touch the ground. It has been called the "forest 
horse," and is supposed to have lived on lowlands and in forests, 

10. ProtoJiippiis. From Middle and Upper Miocene period, 

1 1. PlioJiippus. From Middle and Upper Miocene period. 

In this stage the crowns of the upper molars have become 
much longer, the two pairs of crescents on the upper molars are 
complete, with two half-separated cusps within the inner pair. 
The valleys between the crests have become filled with cement, 
so that with the wear of the teeth tlic edges of hard enamel are 
backed inside by dentine and outside by cement. Thus the tooth 
surface has a series of enamel ridges always projecting somewhat 
above the grinding surface, because the softer material on each 
side wears down into hollows, yet never breaks off. This makes 
an efficient medium for grinding grass. In these two forms of 
horse, notably Protohippus, the crowns of the teeth are not as long 
as in the modern horse. The feet in these two have but one toe 
touching the gi'ound. The side toes are complete, but are more 
slender than in the earlier stages and are apparently useless. In 
some species of Pliohippus they have almost disappeared. Horses 
at this period were about forty inches, or ten hands, high. 

Hipparion. From Pliocene period. This is similar to Proto- 
hippus, but with larger and more complicated tooth patterns. In 
this period some horses have three toes and others one. 

12. Equus. From Pleistocene period and Recent. This is the 
stage of the modern horse. The side toes are gone but are 



THE PREHISTORIC HORSE 



5 



represented by splints on fore and hind foot. On the fore foot 
no trace remains of the little nodules which in Protohippus rep- 
resented the first and fifth toes. The crowns of the teeth are 
much longer and the teeth have changed otherwise. The skull 
has lengthened and the horse is much larger. 

Tracing the development of this prehistoric horse, we find 
that the animal gradually increases in height, the number of toes 
reduces to one on each foot, while the teeth increase in length 



Head 



Fore Foot 



HindFoot 



Teeth 




OneToe 

Splints of 

2nd and 4th 

digits 



OneToe 

Splints of 

2nd and 4th 

digits 



Protohippus 



!Mesohippus 



Protorohippus 



ThreeToes 

Side toes 
not touching 
the ground 



Three Toes 

Side toes 

not touching 

the ground 




Long- 
Crowned, 
Cement- 
covered 



J Three Toes 
Side toes 
touching the 
ground; 
Splint of 5lh digit 



Three Toes 

Side toes 

touching the 

ground 



Four Toes 



Short- 
Crowned, 
without 
Cement 



HjTacotherium 
(Eohippus) 



Four Toes 
Splint of 
1st digit 



ThreeToes 
Splint of 
5th digit 



Fig. 2. Comparative drawings of skulls, feet, and teeth of prehistoric horse, 
showing evolutionary development. Reproduced by permission from 
Guide Leaflet Xo. 9, American Museum of Natural History 

and crown development. The tooth of the modern horse may be 
an efficient grinder for twenty-five or thirty years, while that of 
the prehistoric one, from shortness of crown and lack of enamel 
and dentine, perhaps would not serve over ten or twelve years. 

The color of the prehistoric horse is not known, but it is sup- 
posed to have been more or less striped, like the zebra, though 
not brilliantly colored. The groundwork of this color was pre- 
sumably dun or khaki. 



6 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

The first association of man with the prehistoric horse so far as 

discoxcrctl existed in the Paleolithic or Stone Imi^lement Age. 
It is assumed that man first hunted horses for food, then drove 
them, and finally used them for riding and then as beasts of 
burden. The bones of human beings have been found in connec- 
tion with prehistoric horse remains in South America, but not in 
North America. In Europe man and the prehistoric horse were 
without doubt associated. 

The connecting link between the prehistoric horse and the horse 
of modern times is assumed to be the present form of the zebra, 






\1'-^ 



Fig. 3. Restoration of the four-toed horse. Photograph from original water 
color by C. R. Knight, based on mounted skeleton sixteen inches high, 
in American Museum of Natural History 

the wild ass of Asia and Africa, and Przewalskii's horse. The 
latter was discovered by Poliakoff in 1881 on the desert of 
Zungaria in western Mongolia in Asia. It has been assumed 
that this type of wild pony, standing forty inches high, is quite 
similar to the horse as known by prehistoric man thirty thousand 
years ago. The European cave drawings show a strong resem- 
blance to the Przewalskii horse, and it is probable that from such 
an ancestry has come the Norwegian, Irish, and other ponies of 
northern Europe, and the wild horse of Mongolia and China. 



CHAPTER II 



THE ARAB HORSE 



The influence of the Arab horse upon the improvement of the 
present-day breeds is well recognized among students. As early 
as the reign of King James I of England (1603- 162 5) Arab 
horses were introduced into that country and crossed with light 
horse stock. Between 1700 and 1800 many Oriental horses 
found their way to England, and these had a most important 
influence in improving 
the Thoroughbred. The 
so-called " Royal Mares " 
imported by Charles II 
(1660-1685) became 
foundation stock in the 
best of British light horse 
blood, their descendants 
reaching great distinc- 
tion. From the Darley 
Arabian imported in 1706 
is descended the best of 
Hackney blood to-day. 
According to Joseph Os- 
borne, since the time of 
James I one hundred and 
sixty-four Oriental sires 
of known record have 
been taken to England 
and used in service. This list includes ninety Arabs, thirty-six 
Barbs, thirty-two' Turks, four Persians, and two horses of un- 
known ancestry. Arab horses have also been used for centuries 
in improving the horses of continental Europe, even up to the 
draft type. Much of the quality produced in the early Percheron 

7 




Fig. 4. Shahwan, an Arab stallion bred by All 
Pacha Sherif, of Egypt. Used in stud by 
\V. S. Blunt, Esq., England. Imported in 1895 
by J. A. P. Ramsdell, Newburg, N.Y. Photo- 
graph from Mr. Ramsdell 



8 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

came from the Arab, while the French have set a high value on 
this horse in producing half-breds and improving coach horses. 

In 1522 the Turks invaded Hungary five hundred thousand 
strong, which number, so history infcjrms us, included three 
hundred thousand horsemen. With the defeat of the Moham- 
medans they were driven from the country, but they left large 
numbers of Arabian horses behind. From that time Arab horse 
blood has been in use in the stables of Hungary, and a Bedouin 
of the desert, thoroughly familiar with the breed, is attached to 
the Hungarian army as master of horse, his duty being to select 
the best Arabian horses for the royal studs. These studs were 
established in 1785 and have since been maintained. In addi- 
tion to the royal studs, there are some one hundred and fifty 
private studs in which are to be found five thousand Arab 
mares of purest blood. Russia and Germany have also used the 
Arabian in the stud. It is said that no less than two hundred 
Arab stallions belonging to the French government were at the 
free service of owners of mares in Algiers in Africa in 1895, 
this being a French colony. 

The native home of the Arab horse is Arabia, a vast country 
some fifteen hundred miles long and from five hundred to one thou- 
sand miles wide, lying east of the Red Sea, with its northern 
extremity not far from the east end of the Mediterranean. The 
Arab horse, however, is found in great numbers in Turkey, Persia, 
and parts of northern Africa, notably the Sahara region. 

The origin of the pure Arabian has been the cause of much 
discussion in print. Major Upton and Lady Anne Blunt, how- 
ever, have given the most definite and satisfactory information 
on this subject. These persons made special trips to Arabia, 
where careful studies were made of the horse of the people, 
concerning which we learn much in their writings.^ Major Upton 
lived among the Bedouins for months and spoke their language. 

The best Arabian horses are found in the desert region, 
among the migratory Bedouin tribes, of which there are several 
groups. The most powerful of these are the Shammar race of 

^ Gleanings from the Desert of Arabia^ by Roger D. Upton, London, 1881 ; 
The Bedouin Tribes of the Euphrates, by Lady Anne Blunt, 2 vols., London, 
1879; ^ Pilgrimage to Nejd, by Lady Anne Blunt, 2 vols., London, 18S1. 



THE ARAB HORSE 9 

Mesopotamia in the north and to the east of the Euphrates, 
visited by the Blunts, and the Anezah in the south, studied by 
Major Upton. The latter race have the best horses, a fact 
generally recognized by Bedouins. 

The Arabs are descendants of Ishmael, who, according to tra- 
dition, inherited a valuable horse of the Kuhl race. The Anezah 
tribe descended in a direct line from Ishmael, through Sheik 
Salaman, who lived about 1635 B.C. (four generations removed 
from Ishmael), and who owned five famous mares. From this 
ancestry has come the purest and best Arab horse blood. This 
race was in existence many centuries before the time of 
Mohammed. 

The Arabian words <' keheilan " and << keheilet " have a special 
application to the horse. These words are derived from the word 
" kuhl," which means antimony, material with which Arab women 
blacken their eyebrows and eyelashes. Upton claims to have 
discovered that the entire race of pure-bred horses among the 
Anezah had black skins irrespective of color of hair. This 
accounts for the use of the words " keheilan" and "keheilet," the 
former meaning a male and the latter a female of pure blood 
whose lineage can be traced without a break to the five mares 
of Salaman. The Anezah Bedouin declines to recognize any 
animal as keheilan or keheilet, the pedigree of which does not 
go back to the five mares in question, the five being designated 
as Al Khamseh. 

Five great families of Arabian horses descended from founda- 
tion stock tracing to the five mares Al Khamseh are as follows : 

1. The descendants of KeJieilet Ajuz. 

2. The Majicghi, with three sub-families. 

3. The Hadban, with five sub-families. 

4. T\\Q. Jclfon, with two sub-families. 

5. The Hovidani, with two sub-families. 

From the first-named family comes the most distinguished 
Arab blood. The word "ajuz" means old woman. This family 
descends from a mare that dropped a filly colt when on a long 
and hard journey, her owner being hard pressed by an enemy. 
The colt was left where foaled, and the owner of the mare after 
much difficulty reached his own people. To the surprise of the 



lO THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

camp the young filly came in also a few hours after, having fol- 
lowed her clam. The story goes that she was given into the care 
of one of the old women of the tribe, whence came her name, 
Keheilet Ajuz ("the mare of the old woman "), that she lived to 
become the most famous mare ever seen on the desert, and from 
her are descended the choicest of pure Arabian horses. It is 
claimed that nineteen families descend from her, five through 
mares and fourteen through stallions. Some even believe that 
eight other families also should be credited as her descendants. 

The families of Arabian horses descended from Keheilet Ajuz 
that are recognized as of superlative merit, are the following : 

(i) Scglawi, comprising the three sub-families, the Seglawi 
Jedraan, Seglawi Obeiri, and Seglawi Al-Abd. This is one of 
the choicest families. 

(2) Abeyatt. There are seven sub-families. This family received 
its name from a high carriage of tail. 

(3) Dalman. There are four sub-families. 

(4) Abu Arkab. There are three sub-families. 

The following families are also regarded by some as descend- 
ants of Keheilet Ajuz : 

(5) RisJion ; (6) Radban; (7) Tivaissan; (8) Milliah, with 
sub-families in each case. 

The history of the Arab horse in America is not very exten- 
sive, though dating back many years. No doubt many horses 
called Arabian were not of that breed, but were of Oriental 
ancestry. About 1765 an Arab stallion named Ranger was 
imported to New London, Connecticut. A half-bred, gray son 
of Ranger was used by General Washington during the Revolu- 
tionary War. Ranger was later taken to Virginia, where he 
became known as the Lindsay Arabian. The first volume of 
Bruce's Amcricmi Stndbook contains a list of forty-two Arab 
stallions imported into the United States between 1760 and i860, 
besides twelve Arab mares, four Barb stallions and two Barb 
mares. There were some famous animals imported years ago. 
Honorable A. Keene Richards of Kentucky made two journeys 
to Arabia with Troyc, the animal painter. They visited among 
the Anezah and brought back to America some splendid Arabian 
horses, the blood of which occupies a place of prominence in 



THK ARAB HORSE 



II 



the Gold Dust family of trotters. The Arab horses Maanake 
Heclgrogi and Liklany Gklran were sent as a gift to Wm. H. 
Seward, Umbark to President Martin Van Buren, and Linden 
Tree and Leopard to General U. S. Grant. In 1838 a large con- 
signment of both stallions and mares was brought to the United 
States by Commodore J. D. Elliott of the United States Navy. 




Fig. 5. Cunningham, an Arab stallion owned by Sir Walter Gilbey, Bart., 
England. A winner of races in Egypt and England. From photograph 
from Sir Walter Gilbey, Bart. 

Important studs of Arab horses in England and America during 
recent years are worthy of mention. In England Major Upton 
until his death maintained a pure Arab stud, as also did Henry 
Chaplin, Minister of Agriculture. Both of these studs were sold. 
Sir Wilfred Blunt and his wife, Lady Anne Blunt, brought to 
England from Arabia some eighteen pure Arab mares and two 
stallions. Besides these Rev. F. F. Vidal and Miss Ethelred 
Dillon also have studs in England. In the United States 



12 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

Randolph Huntington of Long Island, New York, Peter Heyl of 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and J. A. P. Ramsdell of Newburg, New 
York, have maintained notable Arab studs in recent years. 

A few notable Arab horses of pure breeding that have become 
famous are the stallions Kismet, li\ Emir, Maidan, Kouch, Kars, 
Shahwan, Cunningham, and Himyarite. The mares Haidee, 
Keziah, Naomi, and Nazli are among the most important 
modern females of the breed. 

The characteristics of the Arab horse. The /lead represents 
very superior character and intelligence, the forehead being broad 
and prominent, and the head tapering toward the nose more 
than with other breeds. The nostrils are prominent, the eyes 
fairly so, the ears delicate and pointing inward, and the general 
head expression lean and representing high spirit. The neck is 
of medium length and sustains the head most gracefully. Captain 
Hayes states that the sJiouldcrs of the Arab slope well, though 
from the saddle point of view they are often too thick, while the 
withers incline to be rather low and broad. The body is fairly 
short, and is usually deeply ribbed ; the back is well sustained, 
and the loins are broad and muscular. The croup tends to be 
high, sometimes making specimens of the breed appear higher 
here than at the withers. The tail sets high and is carried with 
style. The quarters are long and deep, but the gaskins and 
hocks hardly equal those of the Thoroughbred. The legs and 
feet are very superior. For his size the strength of the Arabian 
horse is remarkable, this being due in part to large development 
of muscle of loin and arm, whereby he becomes a su}:)erior bur- 
den carrier. The Arab has a great constitution and extraordi- 
nary staying power. He is not noted so much for speed as for 
endurance, as he is not nearly the equal of the Thoroughbred 
or American trotter for rapid speed. Yet the Arab will perform 
long journeys across country with comparative ease, such as 
require great staying power. In height the Arab ranges from 
14 to 14^ hands, so that he stands at the boundary line between 
pony and horse. Many of the most famous Arabs brought to 
England were ponies. Esa bin Curtis, a large importer of Arabs 
to Bombay, is credited with the statement that the best Arabs 
did not, as a rule, exceed 14 hands i^ inches to I4i hands high. 



THE ARAB HORSE 



13 



In color there is some variation, for there are bays, whites, grays, 
chestnuts, and blacks, the latter being least common of all. 

The value of the Arab in cross breeding is preeminent. Wher- 
ever used he has transmitted constitution, equality, intelligence, 
and st)'le in a marked degree. His value to horse stock in the past 
has been incalculable. Not only this, but European governments, 
even of to-day, recognize the value of an Arabian cross to instill 
the qualities above referred to into depleted stock. As an 
example of this crossing, in 1899 it is stated that the French 
government mated sixty Thoroughbred mares with pure Arabian 
stallions at the national stud at Pompadour. The object was 
to obtain Anglo-Arab stallions for service in the government 
studs. These cross-bred stallions are usually placed in low, soft 
districts, where the horses are coarse and of inferior bone. The 
progeny from such stallions have more refinement and quality 
than those obtained by other matings. At the present time one 
important use for Arab sires is breeding to Welsh, New Forest, 
Exmoor, or similar ponies to produce cross-breds for polo playing. 

The registration of Arab horses is provided for in the American 
Stndbook, and in the General Studbook of Great Britain. There 
is no special organization for the promotion of this breed. 



] 



CHAPTER III 

THE THOROUGHBRED 

The history of the Thoroughbred is so closely associated with 
the improvement of the modern horse that much consideration 
should be given it. 

The horse in England prior to Queen Elizabeth's reign was 
mainly of the draft type, coarse and strong. We know little of 
his {general merits. He was used in war for chariots and as a 
saddle horse. The early Romans brought horses to England 
in the fifth century, and so did the succeeding Normans and 
others. Early in the thirteenth century King John imported one 
hundred stallions from Flanders. Edward III, during the four- 
teenth century, brought to England, it is stated, over fifty Spanish 
horses at a cost of over eight hundred dollars each. Henry VIII 
maintained a royal stud, had laws enacted regarding horse breed- 
ing, and imported from Turkey, Spain, and Naples. Yet during 
all these years the prevailing horses were burden bearers with 
the exception of a few of greater speed, known as running horses. 
The use of heavy armor in the army had justified breeding a horse 
of this type. 

Systematic horse racing in England was first introduced by 
James I. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth (i 558-1603) 
the use of armor grew to be unpopular, though the use of horses 
changed but little. James I, succeeding Elizabeth, was not war- 
like in temperament, and the use of armor passed away during 
his reign. Not only this, but James established the race course, 
gave attention to horse breeding, and imported from the Orient. 
He established a code of regulations from which the modern race 
course has derived its foundation. James imported an Arabian 
stallion from the Orient through an English merchant named 
Markham, for which he paid five hundred pounds. This horse 
was much ridiculed and had no special importance in improving 

14 



THE THOROUGHBRED 



15 



racing stock. Charles I (162 5 -1649), the son of James I, estab- 
lished racing at Newmarket and Hyde Park, while his son, 
Charles II, whom British authors credit with first creating 
the Thoroughbred, brought many horses from the Orient and 
was a great promoter of the race course. Two Barb mares which 
Charles II imported took very high rank among the brood mares 
of England and were named the ** Royal Mares." 

From the time of James I up to the present day each British 
ruler has patronized the race course and has promoted horse 
breeding. Since the time of this monarch about one hundred 
and seventy-six Eastern sires have been imported into England. 
From this desire for the running horse and the race has been 
developed the Thoroughbred, which for a hundred years or more 
has been bred with reasonable purity. 

Three foreign horses introduced into England during the for- 
mation period of the Thoroughbred exercised an important 
influence worthy of special mention. These were the following : 

1 . TJic GodolpJiin Barb, also known as the Godolphin Arabian, 
was probably foaled in Barbary about 1724. Later he found his 
way to France, and for a time was used to haul a water cart. About 
1728 he was taken to England and presented to Lord Godolphin. 
He was used in the stud with great success. His blood contrib- 
uted in a most important degree to founding the Thoroughbred. 

2. The Bycrly Ttirk, the saddle horse of Captain Byerly, used 
later in the seventeenth century in the wars of William in Ire- 
land, was probably brought to England in 1689. He was very 
famous as a sire and horses descended from him are known as 
Byerly Turk horses. 

3. TJic Darley Arabian, supposed to be a pure Arabian, was 
bought at Aleppo, Syria, by a Mr. Darley. He was brought 
to luigland in 1706, late in Queen Anne's reign, as a gift to 
Mr. John B. Darley, of Aldby Park, near York. He was bay in 
color with blaze on face and white on three feet, and stood 
about 15 hands high. To this horse can be traced the choicest 
Thoroughbred blood. 

These three Oriental horses preceded the development of the 
Thoroughbred, yet their blood had a potent fundamental influence 
in establishing the breed which followed. 



1 6 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

Three English-bred horses of great prepotency, important in 
founding the Thoroughbred, stand out as really great ancestors 
of the modern speed horse. They are the following : 

1. Herod {King Herod). This horse was born in 1758 and 
was bred by the Duke of Cumberland, a brother of George II. 
He was used on the race course for a time and was then retired 
to the stud. He is said to have sired 497 prize winners on various 
race courses, and it is estimated that they won for their owners 
^201,505, or over one million dollars. Herod was a direct 
descendant of the Byerly Turk. 

2. Matchcm. One of the important sons of the Godolphin 
Barb was named Cade. He proved to be an indifferent race 
horse, but a great breeder, due to his superior blood and con- 
formation. Matchem, his best-known son, became a great racer 
as well as a prominent sire. It is stated that he made a record 
on the Beacon course at the rate of a mile in 1.44. He also 
became well known for the excellence of his progeny in speed 
quality, for he sired 354 sons and daughters that were winners 
of races. Matchem was born in 1748 and died in 1781. 

3. Eclipse. The Darley Arabian was the sire of two great 
horses in their day, notably Flying Childers, also known as The 
Devonshire, and Bartlett's Childers. The former was a chestnut 
horse with four white feet, and was the fastest horse on the 
English turf up to his time. Bartlett's Childers was never trained 
to race, but was used in the stud instead. A grandson of his, 
named Marske, bred to the mare Spiletta, was the sire of Eclipse, 
foaled in 1764 during a great eclipse from which he takes his 
name. From two points of view this horse may be regarded as 
perhaps the greatest in history, one as a racer the other as a 
progenitor of racers. He was bred by the Duke of Cumber- 
land, and at the sale of his stud brought 75 guineas. He 
was five years old before going on the turf, running first at 
r^^psom. In his second race, at York, he distanced his com- 
petitors. In 1769 Dennis O'Kelly bought him for 1650 guineas 
($8250). As a racer he distanced some of the best horses of 
his time. Finally, as no one would race against him, he closed 
his racing career of seventeen months by walking over the 
Newmarket race course for the King's Plate in October, 1770. 



THE THOROUGHBRED 1 7 

In 1779 O'Kelly was asked by one of the Bedford family for his 
price on Eclipse, and he replied that " all Bedford Level would 
not purchase him." P^rom another person he asked $125,000 
and an annuity of $2500 for life. 

Eclipse won eleven King's Plates and O'Kelly cleared ^25,000 
on him. In historical descriptions of this horse he is said to 
have been about 1 5 ] hands high ; his shoulders were very low 
and oblique and thick above, while he stood high behind. He 
had a great loin, very long quarters, and powerful and long 
thighs and fore arms, and his stride was very wide. He was so 
thick-winded that he could be heard some distance. He was of 
fine disposition, and in a race he took his own gait, rushing along 
with his head down, indifferent to his jockeys, who found it 
impossible to hold him in. Eclipse sired 334 winners of races. 
He died in 1789, aged twenty-five years. This horse was a 
direct descendant of the Darley Arabian, and the very best of 
British and American racing-horse blood traces its course from 
these two great sires. 

Of these three English-bred stallions Eclipse as a breeder 
was most important, at least in the male line of descent, while 
Matchem was least so. The influence of both the Oriental and 
English sires on the creation of the Thoroughbred as a breed 
has been very profound, but without doubt numerous females 
have had an important part. However, much less is known of 
the personality and breeding of the mares than of the sires. 
C. Bruce Lowe, in an elaborate study of speed lines of many 
great Thoroughbreds, compiles a list of forty-four important 
foundation mares. At the head of that list he places first, 
Tregomveir s Natural Barb Mare ; second. Burton s Barb Ularc ; 
third, Davi of t7i'o True Blues. 

The Thoroughbred derives his origin from the union of Arabian, 
Barb, and Turkish blood with the lighter type of English horse. 
From this amalgamation came great stamina, remarkable speed, 
unusual endurance, and great symmetry of form. 

The names of many famous Thoroughbreds appear during the 
history of the breed. The following are worthy representatives, 
all of them famous racers and most of them great breeders. The 
dates after their names indicate the years of foaling. 



1 8 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

Prominent British Thoroughbreds and their sires and dams : 
Squirt, 1732, by Bartlctt's Childers, out of the Snake mare; 
Pot-8-os, 1773, by Eclipse, out of Sportsmistress ; Woodpecker, 
1773, by Herod, out of Misfortune ; HigJiflyer, 1774, by Herod, 
out of Rachacl ; Sir Peter Teazle (also known as Sir Peter), 1784, 
by Highflyer, out of Papillon ; Waxy, 1790, by Pot-8-os, out of 
Maria by Herod ; Whalebone, 1807, by Waxy, out of Penelope ; 
Tramp, 18 10, by Dick Andrews, dam by Gohanna ; Whisker, 
18 1 2, by Waxy, out of Penelope ; Sir Hercules, 1826, by Whale- 
bone, out of Peri; Touchstone, 183 i, by Camel, out of Banter; 
Irish Bird Catcher, 1833, by Sir Hercules, out of Guiccioli ; 
Gladiator, 1833, by Partisan, out of Pauline; Faiigh-a-BallagJi, 
1 84 1, by Sir Hercules, out of Guiccioli; Orlando, 1841, by Touch- 
stone, out of Vulture ; The Baron, 1842, by Irish Bird Catcher, 
out of Echidna; Stockwell, 1849, by The Baron, out of Poca- 
hontas ; Kingston, 1849, by Venison, out of Queen Anne ; Kijig 
Tom, 185 I, by Harkaway, out of Pocahontas ; Blair AtJiol, 1861, 
by Stockwell, out of Blink Bonny ; Hermit, 1864, by New- 
minster, out of Seclusion ; Robert The Devil, 1^77, by Bertram, 
out of Cast Off; Betid Or, 1878, by Doncaster, out of Rouge 
Rose; St. Simon, 1881, by Galopin, out of St. Angela ; Isinglass, 
1890, by Isonomy, out of Deadlock; Persimvion, 1893, by St. 
Simon, out of Perdita H ; Flying Fox, 1896, by Orme, out of 
Vampire; Diamond Jubilee, 1897, by St. Simon ; Rock Sand, 
1900, by Sainfoin, out of Roquebrune. 

Prominent British Thoroughbreds imported to America : 
Shark, 1771, by Marske, dam by Snap; Diomed, 1777, by 
Florizel, out of Sister to Juno ; Buzzard, 1787, by Woodpecker, 
out of Daughter of Alexander; Sarpedon, 1828, by Emilius, out 
of Icaria ; Glencoe, 183 1, by Sultan, out of Trampoline ; leaming- 
ton, 1853, by P"augh-a-Ballagh, out of Daughter of b.m. ; Bonnie 
Scotland, 1853, by lago, out of Queen Mary ; Australian, 1858, 
by West Australian, out of Emilia; Phaeton, 1865, by King 
Tom, out of Merry Sunshine ; Prijice Charlie, 1869, by Blair 
Athol, out of P^astern Princess ; Rayon d' Or, 1876, by Flageolet, 
out of Auracaria ; St. Blaise, 1 880, by Hermit, out of Fusee ; 
Kingston, 1882, by Flageolet; Ormonde, 1884, by Bend Or, 
out of Lily Agnes ; Sysonby, 1901, by Melton, out of Optime. 



THl-: THOROUGHBRED 



19 



Prominent American Thoroughbreds: Sir Archy, 1805, by 
Diomcd, out of Castianira ; Ajncrican Eclipse, 18 14, by Duroc, 
out of Miller's Damsel; Boston, 1833, by Timoleon, out of 
Sister to Tuckahoe ; Lexington, 1850, by Boston, out of Alice 
Carneal; Norfolk, i860, by Lexington, out of Novice; Emperor, 
i860, by Leamington ; Longfelloiv, 1867, by Leamington, out of 
Nantura ; Enquirer, 1867, by Leamington, out of Lida ; Tom 
O'CJiiltree, 1872, by Lexington, out of Katona; Parole, 1874, by 
Leamington, out of Maiden ; Himyar, 1875, by Alarm, out of 




Fig. 6. Hanover, a Thoroughbred stallion. A great racer, starung in niiy races, 
winning thirty-two, and securing $120,912 in prize money. The leading sire 
of prize winners in 1895, 1896, 1897, and 1898. In stud at McGrathiana, 
Lexington, Kentucky. From photograph by author 

Hira ; Spendthrift, 1876, by Australian, out of Aerolite; Luke 
Blackburn, iSyy, by Bonnie Scotland, out of Nevada; FoxJuxll, 
1878, by King Alfonso, out of Jamaica; Iroquois, 1878, by 
Leamington, out of Maggie B.B. ; The Bard, 1883, by Longfellow, 
out of Brademante ; Firenzi, 1884, by Glenelg, out of Florida; 
Hanover, 1884, by Hindoo, out of Bourbon Belle; Emperor of 
Norfolk, 1885, by Norfolk, out of Marian ; Salvator, 1886, by 
Prince Charlie, out of Salina ; Hamburg, 1891, by Hanover, out 
of Lady Reel. 

Importations of Thoroughbreds to America were made at a 
comparatively early date, and some of the most famous horses 



20 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

of the breed found their way to the United States during the 
eighteenth century. The brief and incomplete Hst of Thorough- 
breds imported, which precedes this statement, represents a hst 
of sires and racers of the most distinguished character. The first 
Thoroughbred to come to America is said to have been the horse 
BuUe Rock, imported to Virginia in 1730. Diomed, who won the 
first Derby ever run, was imported in 1 797 at twenty years of 
age. Messenger, imported in 1788, as a Thoroughbred to improve 
the running horse, became a distinguished progenitor of trotters. 
Fearnought, 1775; Buzzard, 1787; Shark, 1771 ; Alderman, 
1787; Pantaloon, 1778; Highflyer, 1784; Saltram, 1780; and 
Matchem, 1773, represent eminent early importations. The men 
of Virginia, South Carolina, Maryland, and Kentucky, from very 
early days, showed great interest in Thoroughbreds and pro- 
moted the race track. In 1760 the first track in America, known 
as the Newmarket course, was established at Charleston, South 
Carolina, on which were held many enthusiastic races. 

The conformation of the Thoroughbred is distinctive. The 
head should be fine and lean and moderately small, showing 
breeding ; eyes prominent and intelligent ; ears of medium size, 
not too wide apart, and carried in a lively manner. The neck 
should be long, the upper part from withers to poll being about 
twice as long as the lower part from point of shoulder to larynx, 
and strongly muscular. The shoulder should slope obliquely back, 
be covered with muscle, and come back to form high, fairly close, 
long withers; no collar heaviness should be noticeable. The chest 
tends to narrow rather than broad conformation, with good depth, 
yet able authorities prefer a broad rather than deep and narrow 
chest. The body should be rather circular in type, with a depth 
at the withers rather less than half the height, with a length 
equal to the height at withers and croup ; the back and hius 
should be comparatively broad, level, and muscular ; the ribs 
well sprung and of enough depth to show good feeding capacity. 
The croup tends to be long, rather level, curving gracefully, with 
the tail attached medium high and carried gracefully. The hind 
quarter is one of the features of the Thoroughbred, being long, 
strongly muscled, exhibiting great driving power ; the gaskins 
or lower thighs should be broad. The fore lee: should be muscular 



THE THOROUGHBRED 21 

and strong in arm and long and wide in fore arm, with com- 
paratively little width between the legs. A rather broad, strong 
knee, supported by a short flat cannon bone extending well back, 
is desirable. The liind leg at the hocks ought to be deep, clean, 
free from fleshiness, and be supported by a short, flat, clean 
cannon bone. The pastern Joifits should be smooth, placed true, 
and in harmony with the leg as a whole. The pasterns should 
not be straight but rather long and slanting, yet strong, clean, 
and springy, being carried at an angle of about 45 degrees. The 
feet should be of medium size, wide and high at the heel, con- 
cave below, and be carried straight and true. In order to secure 
speed it is essential that the knees and hocks move smoothly 
and freely and that this movement be true. 

The height of the Thoroughbred ranges from 14^ to i6i hands, 
but I 5 to I 5 .V is most approved. It is probable that this breed 
has increased in height with its development. Nearly fifty years 
ago Rous argued that a gain of a hand had occurred during the 
preceding hundred years. Sir Walter Gilbey states that " from 
an average height of 14 hands in 1 700 the breed has been graded 
up to an average of 15 hands 2h inches in the year 1900." 

The color of the Thoroughbred is variable. Bays and browns 
are most common and most popular, though chestnuts are 
common, while blacks, sorrels, grays, and roans occur. 

The weight of the Thoroughbred is quite variable, but in gen- 
eral ranges from 900 to 1050 pounds. 

In temperament the Thoroughbred is nervous and mettlesome, 
being endowed with great spirit and endurance in the race. 

The distribution of the Thoroughbred is world-wide in regions 
where light horses for speed purposes prevail. This is note- 
worthy in Great Britain, France, Germany, Australasia, Argen- 
tine Republic, and the United States. 

Prices at which Thoroughbreds have sold cover a wide range 
of high figures, this breed, in fact, leading all others in this 
respect. The highest price paid up to 1906 is for the stallion 
Hying Fox, sold for 37,500 guineas ($187,500) at the sale of the 
Duke of Westminster in 1904. Flying Fax was taken to France 
for stud purposes. Late in 1905 King Edward VII of England 
sold the stallion Diamond Jubilee for $150,000 to Senor Ignacio 



22 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

Corrcas of the Argentine, South America. Ormonde sold for 
$150,000, and Cyellcne, another Enghsh Thoroughbred, recently 
sold for 5^150,000. Among other high prices at which Thorough- 
breds have changed hands are the following : Rock Sand, $ 1 2 5,000 ; 
Water Cress, $71,000; Hamburg, $60,000; Nasturtium, $50,000; 
Norfolk, $40,000; Kentucky, $40,000 ; Iroquois, $34,000 ; Rayon 
d'Or, $33,000; Bonnie Scotland, $30,000 ; and Luke Blackburn, 
$20,000. 

The speed record of the Thoroughbred is faster than that of 
any other horse. Races with this breed are run under the saddle, 
with jockeys up. A light, skillful jockey is needed in the saddle.. 




Fu;. 7. Lamplighter, a prominent Thoroughbred sire and racer owned by Milton 
Young, Lexington, Kentucky. One of the leading sires of 1904 and 1905 
prize winners. From photograph by author 

A very satisfactory jockey weight is no to 115 pounds, but 
many great races have been won with weight up to 125 pounds. 
The fastest record by a Thoroughbred is that of 1.35^ by 
Salvator on a straightaway track of one mile, in 1890, at Mon- 
mouth Park, New Jersey. On the Harlem standard track, in 
1903, Dick Wells ran a mile in 1.37.5. Only a few days before 
Alan-a-Dale had passed around the Washington Park track, 
making the mile in 1.37;^ In 1855 Lexington ran four miles 
in 7. 19!^, winning $20,000 in a race against time. In 1876 Ten 
Broeck, in a race against time, lowered the four-mile record to 
7.15;,'. This same year he made a mile in 1.39:]. which was the 



THE THOROUGHBRED 23 

record for about thirteen years. In 188 1 Luke Blackburn, a very 
famous runner, then four years old, made a mile at Jerome Park 
in 1.45. In 1880 he also made a record of 2.34 for a mile and 
a half, which was not lowered for many years. 

Records by Thoroughbreds are made at a running gait under 
the saddle. In I^ngiand there are three so-called classic races 
each year, the Derby, Oaks, and St. Leger. Each of these races 
is very old. The first Derby in England was run at Epsom, 
May 4, 1780. In 1784 the distance was increased from one 
mile to one and one-half mile. The following are the English 
Derby racing records, since 1890 : 

1890 Sainfoin, by Springfield, 2.49 1-4. 

1 89 1 Common, by Isonomy, 2.56 4-5. 

1892 Sir Hugo, by Wisdom, 2.44. 

1893 Isinglass, by Isonomy, 2.43. 

1894 Ladas, by Hampton, 2.45 4-5. 

1895 Sir Visto, by Barcaldine, 2.43 3-5. 

1896 Persimmon, by St. Simon, 2.42. 

1897 Gal tee Moore, by Kendal, 2.47. 

1898 Jeddah, by Janissary, 2.37. 

1899 Flying Fox, by Orme, 2. 38 2-5. 

1900 Diamond Jubilee, by St. Simon, 2.42. 

190 1 Volodyovski, by Florizel, 2.40 4-5. 

1902 Ard Patrick, by St. Florian, 2.42 1-5. 

1903 Rock Sand, by Sainfoin, 2.42 4-5. 

1904 St. Amant, by Frusquin, 2.45 4-5. 

1905 Cicero, by Cyllene, 2.39 3-5. 

In America one of the great running races of the year is the 
Suburban Handicap, of one and one-fourth miles, run at Sheeps- 
head Bay, New York. The following are the more recent records 
of that annual event, showing the weight of jockey, time and 
money won by the winning horse : 

1890 Salvator, 127 lbs., 2.064-5; ^6900. 

1 89 1 Loantaka, no lbs., 2.07 ; $9900. 

1892 Montana, i 15 lbs., 2.07 2-5 ; $17,750. 

1893 Lowlander, 105 lbs., 2.06 3-5; $17,750. 

1894 Ramapo, 120 lbs., 2.06 1-5 ; $12,070. 

1895 Lazzarone, 115 lbs., 2.07 4-5 ; $4730. 

1896 Henry of Navarre, 128 lbs., 2.07 ; $5850. 

1897 Ben Brush, 123 lbs., 2.07 1-5 ; $5850. 



24 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

1898 Tillo, 119 lbs., 2.08 1-5 ; $6800. 

1899 Imp, 1 14 lbs., 2.08 2-5 ; 56800. 

1900 Kinley Mack, 125 lbs., 2.06 4-5 ; $6800. 

1901 Alcedo, 1 12 lbs., 2.09 3-5 ; $7800. 

1902 Gold Heels, 124 lbs., 2.05 1-5 ; $7800. 

1903 Africander, no lbs., 2.10 2-5 ; $16,490. 

1903 (Renewal) — Water Boy, i 12 lbs., 2.04 3-5 ; $9900. 

1904 Hermis, 127 lbs., 2.05; $17,000. 

1905 Beldame, 123 lbs., 2.05 2-5 ; $16,800. 

Famous Thoroughbred sires of winning stock. Each year a 
record is made of the sire of Thoroui^hbreds winning the most 
races. The table on the opposite page shows the American 
records from 1870 to date. 

Lexington proved to be a wonderful horse. In twenty-one 
seasons he sired 600 horses of which 236 were winners of races. 
During fifteen years they won a total of $1,159,321. The 
influence of Lexington was very far-reaching, and he may be 
regarded as one of the very greatest of American Thorough- 
breds. 

The two imported horses, Leamington and Bonnie Scotland, 
left a strong impress on running-horse blood. The former was 
used in the stud in England, and in 1865 was purchased for 
$7500, by Mr. Cameron and brought to America. A daughter 
of his in Ireland, Miss Theo, proved to be a great brood mare. 
Parole, a son, became a famous racer. 

The American-bred horse, Hanover, by Hindoo, was one of 
the more celebrated Thoroughbreds in recent American history. 
Foaled in 1884, he early showed great speed and became a turf 
favorite. As a sire he attained the first rank. 

A Thoroughbred studbook, known as the General Studbook 
of Great Britain is published in England. In America The 
American Studbook for T/iorong/ibreds is maintained by the 
American Jockey Club, with headquarters in New York. 



'lUi: THOROUGHBRED 



25 



Yeak 


Name 


Age 


Winners 


Races 

Won 


Amount 
Won 


1870 


Lexington 


20 


35 


82 


$120,360 


1 87 1 


Lexington 


21 


40 


102 


109,095 


1S72 


Lexington 


22 


28 


82 


71.515 


i^^73 


Lexington 


23 


23 


71 


71.565 


1874 


Lexington 


24 


23 


70 


51,889 


1 87 5 


Imp. Leamington 


^2 


18 


32 


64,518 


1876 


Lexington 


26 


12 


34 


90,570 


1877 


Imp. Leamington 


24 


21 


49 


41,170 


1878 


Lexington 


28 


16 


36 


50,198 


1S79 


Imp. Leamington 


26 


24 


56 


70,837 


1S80 


Imp. Bonnie Scotland 


24 


35 


^37 


135.700 


iSSi 


Imp. Leamington 


28 


23 


61 


139,219 


1S82 


Imp. Billet 


18 


17 


43 


89,998 


1S83 


Imp. Bonnie Scotland 


27 


35 


169 


103.475 


1884 


Imp. Glenelg 


18 


32 


108 


98,862 


1885 


Virgil 


21 


24 


56 


73.235 


1886 


Imp. Glenelg 


20 


34 


136 


113.638 


1S87 


Imp. Glenelg 


21 


33 


120 


120,031 


1888 


Imp. Glenelg 


22 


33 


134 


130,746 


1889 


Imp. Rayon d'Or 


13 


27 


lOI 


175.877 


1890 


Imp. St. Blaise 


10 


27 


105 


189,005 


1891 


Longfellow 


24 


52 


143 


189.334 


1892 


Iroquois 


14 


34 


145 


183,026 


1893 


Himyar 


18 


27 


138 


249,502 


1894 


Imp. Sir Modred 


17 


36 


137 


134.318 


1895 


Hanover 


II 


40 


133 


106,908 


1896 


Hanover 


12 


42 


157 


86,853 


1897 


Hanover 


13 


54 


159 


122,374 


1898 


Hanover 


14 


43 


124 


118,590 


1899 


Imp. Albert 


17 


19 


64 


95.975 


1900 


Kingston 


16 


33 


no 


116,368 


1901 


Sir Dixon 


16 


24 


94 


165,682 


1902 


Hastings 


9 


29 


63 


113,865 


1903 


Imp. Ben Strome 


17 


21 


91 


106,965 


1904 


Imp. Meddler 


14 


21 


55 


227.555 


1905 


Hamburg 


10 


30 


60 


158,160 



Explanatory of the table, the horse Lexington in 1870 at 20 years of age had 
35 sons and daughters win 82 races and a total of $120,360. 



CHAPTER IV 

THE AMERICAN SADDLE HORSE 

The use of the saddle is common wherever horses are in 
existence, no matter what the type or character of animal. Of 
the various classes used, the one which has the most highly devel- 
oped movement adapted to the saddle and furnishes the most 
grace of motion and comfort for rider is the American saddle 
horse. This horse does not as yet represent a fixed breed, but 
through the character of his breeding and action he possesses 
much that is interesting to the student of horses. 

The history of the American saddle horse extends back into 
Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri more intimately 
than elsewhere, for in these states the active work of his devel- 
opment has been conducted. Much of this breeding has been 
done in Kentucky, hence the common term " Kentucky saddle 
horse." Early in the history of Kentucky, when railways were 
unknown and poor roads common, horseback riding was univer- 
sal. The early saddle horses were hard-gaited, and this resulted 
in the selection of the better type of Thoroughbreds, easy of gait 
and light of foot, some of which found their way into Kentucky 
from Virginia. A few easy moving mares, with an ambling or 
slow pacing gait, were sought for and found many years ago, and 
to them Thoroughbred saddle stallions of easy movement were 
bred. The pacing blood came in part from Canada and New 
England, and so involved some Morgan breeding. Thus by 
selection there developed a class of very easy-gaited saddlers 
peculiar to Kentucky and adjacent states. Through much care 
and selection a variety of gaits developed from this breeding, 
thus giving special distinction to the American saddle horse. 

The influence of Thoroughbred blood on the American saddle 
horse is interestingly brought out by investigations made by Mr. 
John H. Ward. He found that the 1081 horses registered in 

26 



THE AMERICAN SADDLE HORSE 



27 



Volume I of the studbook contained Thoroughbred blood as 
follows : 



Of pure Thoroughbred breeding 

Containing 50 per cent Thoroughbred blood 


2 horses 

. 50 " 


Of unce 


25 " 
121 «' 
6i " 

3 " 
rtain breed 


11 
ing 


t( a 


. 296 " 

• 343 " 
.152 " 

. 36 " 

. 202 " 




Total 






1081 " 



Investigation in subsequent studbooks showed no material 
change in the percentages above given. 

The foundation stock of the American saddle horse as agreed 
upon by the American Saddle Horse Breeders' Association, after 
years of careful investigation, and as revised in 1902, consists of 
the ten stallions : 

Den7nark (Thoroughbred) by Imp. Hedgeford. 
John Dillard, by Indian Chief (Canadian). 
Tovi Hal (imported from Canada). 
CabelVs Lexington, by Gist's Black Hawk (Morgan). 
Coleman's Eureka (Thoroughbred and Morgan). 
Van Meter^s Waxy (Thoroughbred). 
Stump -The-Dealer (Thoroughbred). 
Peter'' s Hal corn. 
Davy Crockett. 
Pat Cleburne, by Benton's Gray Diomed. 



Denmark is the most distinguished animal in this list. His 
sire, Hedgeford, was foaled in England in 1825, brought over 
to New York in 1832, and later taken to Kentucky, where he 
died in 1840. His son, Denmark, was bred to what is known as 
" Stevenson's mare," from which came unusually good results 
in saddle-horse lines, she producing to him Gaines's Denmark, 
Muir's Denmark, and Rob Roy. The former proved a great 
breeding stallion, and from him are descended many of the best 
saddle horses of to-day. The Denmark horses of the earlier 
days, bred to the pacing stock from the North, produced excel- 
lent results. Then Thoroughbred and so-called native mares 



28 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

were used, and the blood of the descendants of the foundation 
stock was judiciously blended, from which has been derived the 
best of modern American saddle-horse character. 

The two most famous saddle horses, from their importance 
as sires, were Black Squirrel 58, by Black Eagle 74, tracing 
back to Denmark, and Montrose 106, by Diamond Denmark 68. 
Black Squirrel sired more saddle horses of renown than any other 
stallion of this class, living to the ripe age of twenty-two and leav- 
ing a long list of distinguished sons and daughters. Black Eagle 
74, the sire of Black Squirrel, was also a great breeder as well as 
show horse. Among other celebrated saddle horses are Highland 
Denmark 750, by Black Squirrel ; Forest Squirrel 801, by Black 
Squirrel (first prize at Columbian Exposition) ; Monte Crista 59, 
by Montrose 106; Red Sqiiirrel ^i, by Black Squirrel; and Black 
Squirrel Jr. 2d 395, by Black Squirrel ; Goodwin 1227, by High- 
land Denmark (sent to Porto Rico) ; and Cupid 1 1 52, by the same 
sire, purchased by the Japanese government. The mares Mollie, 
dam of Black Squirrel 58 ; Amelia, by Red Eagle; Patsy McCord 
1600, by Black Squirrel; Higliland Maid \2']Q, by Highland Den- 
mark ; Emily 855, by Bourbon Chief, by Harrison Chief 3841 ; 
Roivena 1362, by Chester Dare 10, by Black Squirrel 58 ; and 
Miss Rex 820, by Rex Denmark. 

Characteristics of the saddler. These do not materially differ 
from the roadster of superior conformation, with all the best 
quality obtainable. In height 15 hands i^ inches to 15 hands 
2\ inches is the standard, with weight ranging from 950 to 1050. 
For ladies the lighter type is preferred, while for heavy weights 
the larger type is more desirable. The saddler shows much st)-le 
in carriage of head and arch of neck and tail, while a round, well- 
turned, neat body is desired. The back should be very strong in 
order easily to sustain weight. The shoulders and pasterns must 
be sloping and long, the pasterns in particular being long, strong, 
and springy, thus favoring an easy gait. 

The gaits of the saddle horse are especially distinctive. Sad- 
dlers may be divided into two classes: (i) the walk-trot-canter 
horse, gaits commonly found in all saddlers, and (2) those of the 
American saddle horse in particular, viz. the walk, trot, canter, 
rack, and the running walk, or fox trot, or slow pace. 



THE AMERICAN SADDLE HORSE 



29 



A comprehensive discussion of the gaits of the saddle horse, 
coming from the pen of one well qualified to present the sub- 
ject/ and long identified with saddle-horse interests, the writer 
thinks appropriate to introduce here. 

There are different kinds of saddle horses, and they are classified in part 
at least by their gahs. The three natural gaits of a horse are the walk, 




Fig. 8. Gypsy Queen. An American saddle horse, first in class of gaited sad- 
dlers at Chicago Horse Show in 1903 and 1904. A very beautiful mare, 
and a winner at numerous shows. From photograph from Ball Bros., 
Versailles, Kentucky 



trot, and gallop or run. Artificially, that is by education, the gallop is made 
into a canter, which is a gait performed by practically the same movement 
of the legs, but slower, more restrained, and easier to ride. We then have 
one kind of a saddle horse called the walk-trot-canter or plaut-gaited horse. 
This horse suits a lot of people, primarily, because they do not know any 

1 Editorial by W. R. Goodwin, Jr., Breeders' Gazette, June 10, 1903. 



30 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



other gait; secondarily, because they are imitators of the English fashion of 
riding ; and lastly, and leastly, because they do not like other educated and 
easier gaits. 

These easier gaits are the running walk and the rack. The latter is also 
called siiiglefoot^ inasmuch as in this gait each foot has a separate impact 
on the ground, no two of them striking it at the same time, as in the trot 
and pace. 

The ruttning walk is called a slow gait, and there are two other gaits 
allied to it, — the slow pace and the fox trot. The name " running walk " 
defines the gait accurately, and at once identifies it to the understanding. 

It is faster than a flat-foot 
walk, and is produced by a 
mov^ement of the legs more 
rapid than in a walk, but in 
about the same rhythm ; that 
is, each foot strikes the 
ground independently of 
the others. Most horses 
going the running walk bob 
or nod their heads, and some 
of them even flop their ears 
in rhythm with their footfalls. 
1 1 is an all-day gait, easy alike 
to the horse and the rider, 
and it covers ground at an 
astonishing fashion for its 
apparent speed. It is taught 
by urging a horse out of the 
walk but restraining him 
from a trot. 

The slow pace is a some- 
what similar movement but 
borders more on the side- 
wheel gait or lateral pace, in which the two feet on one side of a horse 
strike the ground at the same instant. The true pace, however, is in no 
sense a saddle gait. It is rough and uncomfortable. A rider cannot rise to 
it and save himself, as in a trot, and it is positively the worst gait a saddle 
horse can possess. In the slow pace this side-wheel motion is slightly modi- 
fied so that the impact on the ground of the two feet on a side is broken, 
thus avoiding the rolling motion of the true pace. The slow pace is a very 
comfortable gait, and is very showy, especially when a horse throws just a 
bit of knee action into it. It has grown common in the show ring during 
recent years, as saddle-horse trainers appreciate its catchy qualities and 
endeavor to teach their horses to go this gait. The best saddle-horse men, 
however, do not look on it with favor, as it is so easily corrupted into the 




Fig. 9. I^ady Bonnie. Champion three-gaited 
American saddle horse at Chicago Horse 
Show, 1904, owned by Miss Jennie Bull, 
Racine, Wisconsin. From photograph from 
Miss Bull 



THE AMERICAN SADDLE HORSE 



31 



abominable side-wheel pace, which ruins a saddle horse for comfortable and 
satisfactory work. Unless a rider is careful his mount may almost imper- 
ceptibly degenerate from a distinct and correct slow pace into a plainly 
defined pace, and then there is sure enough trouble. 

The fox trot is a slow trot or a jog trot. It is a rather peculiar gait and 
not so desirable as the running walk or the slow pace. Some horses can- 
not acquire either of these two gaits and so their trainers pull them down 
into a very slow trot and seek to pass that gait off as a fox trot. It is a 




Fig. 10. Showing saddle horses. The St. Louis Fair, 1899. 
from A'ational Stockman and Farmer 



Photograph 



broken-time gait, in a measure, somewhat easier than a pure trot, and when 
cleanly performed it will answer as a business gait. 

The trot is the diagonal gait. The off fore foot and the near hind foot 
strike the ground at the same instant and the horse bounds off them to hit 
the ground again with the near fore and the off hind. This gives a two-beat 
gait. The impact of the feet on the ground is one, two, one, two. 

The pace is the lateral gait. The off fore and of¥ hind foot hit the ground 
at the same interval, and the other pair on the near side follow. This is 
also a two-beat gait. 

The rack is a four-beat gait. Each foot hits the ground at a separate 
interval in a one-two-three-four beat. The rack can be distinguished by 
ear as far as the footfalls of the horse may be heard ; each foot rings clear 
its own note on the hard ground. In teaching the rack the horse is forced 
forward by the spur and restrained by the curb. His diagonal gait is thereby 



32 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

broken up and he flies into a four-beat gait. The rack is easy for the 
rider, hard for the horse. It is a showy gait and is performed at great speed 
sometimes. The trainer who has a fast racking horse will generally keep 
him on that gait when in the show ring, hoping to dazzle the judge by the 
flashiness of the performance. . . . This gait has been officially named 
the rack by the American Saddle Horse Breeders' Association, and hence 
the name "single foot" should not be used, as it merely leads to confusion 
among the uninformed. 

The five gaits recognized by that association are the walk, trot, canter, 
rack, and the running walk, or slow pace, or fox trot. Any one of these 
three slow gaits will answer. Some horses can go only one of them, some 
can show them all. When a horse can show these five gaits he is called a 
galled horse. 

The prices paid for superior saddle horses often run into high 
figures, ;^500 to ^looo not being uncommon. There is but a 
limited supply of gaited saddlers, and these are always in demand 
by a class of patrons who are willing to pay a price consistent 
with merit. In 1906 Major David Castleman is reported to have 
sold the stallion, The Moor 1907, by Cecil IVmer, for ^7500, to 
General William Palmer, of Colorado Springs. This same year 
General John B. Castleman, of Kentucky, sold the mares Eugenia, 
by Highland Denmark, out of Emily, and Magna, by Cromwell 
Jr., out of Maria, to J. A. Davis, of Massachusett.s, for $5000. 

The American Saddle Horse Breeders' Association was organ- 
ized at Louisville, Kentucky, in 1891, as the National Saddle 
Horse Breeders' Association. In 1899 the name was changed 
to the American Saddle Horse Breeders' Association. Thus far 
five volumes of the studbook have been published. 



CHAPTER V 

THE ROADSTER TYPE ' 

The roadster, or light harness horse, occupies a class by itself, 
representing a lighter type of driver than the coach horse. Such 
a horse is desirable for speed, in rapidly conveying along roadways 
a light driving vehicle. The American trotter or pacer is the 
common type used for this work. Speed and endurance seem 
to be the principal points sought in the roadster, and less uni- 
formity of type is found in this class than in any other. Light 
harness horses vary widely in height, weight, and conformation. 

The best type of roadster stands from 15^ to 15I hands high 
and weighs about a thousand pounds. In conformation this horse 
tends to be angular, the muscles and joints showing prominence, 
with the ribs more or less noticeable. There is proportionately 
less body and more leg, a thinner neck, with muscularity at the 
croup and quarters. 

Discussed in some detail, the following are the more important 
characteristics in the roadster. The head as a whole is lean, 
small, refined, denoting intelligence, spirit, and vigor. The neck 
is inclined to be slender and long with a straight top, though ewe 
necks are not uncommon among mares and geldings of this class. 
The sJioulders are quite oblique and long, and are set deep in the 
back, ending at the withers, which are sharper and more promi- 
nent than in any other type of horse. The long sloping shoulder, 
with powerful muscle attachment, accounts for the long and pow- 
erful front reach of the roadster when in motion. The arm should 
be large for the size of the horse, and the fore arm very mus- 
cular, being wide and thick at the top, with muscle well carried 
down, and from elbow to knee fully twice as long as the cannon 
bone. The legs show prominent and strong development, with 
the tendons most prominent and very free from fleshiness. The 
leg of the roadster is often lacking in depth at the upper part of 

33 



34 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



the cannon, whereas it should be of good depth and the bone 
hard, smooth, and flat. The pasterns should stand at an angle 
of about 45 degrees with the floor, and be long, smooth, and 
springy. The feet should be of good size, round, wide at top, 
well developed at heel, and preferably dark of bone. The chest 
usually presents less breadth and more proportionate depth, the 
roadster thus often seeming narrow-chested. Plenty of lung 
capacity, with prominent breast, is essential, but these features 
are not inconsistent with such a form of chest. The body 




Fig. 11. Khca W . aiul l^a>t(jr JJuUe. \ f^ii;.il imii i.l pi ]/:u-\\ iiiiiuii; iiiaa.-.t<ji3. 
Champions at National Horse Show, Madison Square Garden, New York, 
1904. Owned by Miss K. L. Wilks, Gait, Ontario, Canada. Photograph 
from the owner 



should be strongly ribbed, the back short, the coupling close, 
the loin strong and muscular, and the entire body framework 
indicating constitution. Muscle and not fat is what the roadster 
should carry, and thus his body frequently appears lacking in 
capacity, as is in fact the case. Some of the most famous 
trotters and pacers have certainly appeared to lack girth, with 
flanks high, and circumference around the body at hind flank 
distinctly less than good conformation would imply desirable. 
A strong but not overprominent hip is preferable. The croup 
is one of the most variable features of the roadster. Length, 
breadth, and Icvelness are associated with the trot, but the 



THE ROADSTER TYPE 35 

steep, short croup is responsible for many a pacing gait, for 
a horse with steep croup can pace more easily than trot, hand- 
ling his feet with less interference than would occur in trotting. 
The thighs and quarters are usually long and thin, measuring a 
great proportionate length from hip to hock, as is also the case 
with the Thoroughbred. The hocks should be deep and strongly 
muscular, and should be placed square and true in relation to each 
other. If the hocks tend to come in and the hind feet toe out, 
the pacing gait often naturally occurs. Trueness of position of 
feet and legs will assure a trueness of gait if the feet are prop- 
erly shod and balanced. Quality is an essential in the roadster. 
This is seen in the fine hair and soft skin, the refinement of 
head and limbs, the prominence of veins and muscles, and the 
harmony and symmetry of parts. Action of the most powerful 
kind is looked for in this type. It must be true, varying neither 
to right nor left ; each foot must be carried along the proper 
line, and the movement, no matter of what kind, should be snappy 
and free of interference or clumsiness. Strong, long-reaching 
knee and hock action, with the feet picked up smartly, is most 
essential. Horses of this class carry the legs farther forward 
and back, thus having a greater stride, with less elevation of 
knee and hock, than the coach horse. The action of the roadster, 
however, should approach that of the coacher, up to the point 
where speed is not sacrificed for coach form. 



CHAPTER VI 

THE AMERICAN TROTTER 

The history of the English trotting horse goes back for several 
centuries. About Norfolk and Yorkshire, trotters were great 
favorites two centuries ago, and trotting races of an unofificial 
character were of frequent occurrence. Old records tell us that 
the Norfolk trotting mare Phenomena in 1800 trotted 17 miles in 
56 minutes on the Huntingdon road, carrying a weight in saddle 
of about 225 pounds. In 1806 the horse Pretender trotted 16 miles 
within an hour, carrying 210 pounds. All the early racing records 
were made under the saddle. In connection with the early evolu- 
tion of the Hackney its use as a trotter and racer became popular. 

The early use of the trotter in America no doubt extends back 
into colonial times, though to what degree is uncertain. What 
were probably running horses were taken from England to Mas- 
sachusetts as early as 1629. Horses of this class were also bred 
in Virginia and the Carolinas. The recorded use of the trotter 
in America extends back to the first part of the nineteenth cen- 
tury. In 1802 a law forbidding all horse racing and trotting 
was enacted in New York, but this law was amended in 1821, 
to permit training, pacing, trotting, and running of horses upon 
certain regulated courses in Queen's County on Long Island. 
Early trotting records take us back to June, 1806, when the 
horse Yankee, under saddle, trotted a mile in 2.59 on the Har- 
lem race course, New York. On August 25, 18 10, a horse from 
Boston is reported to have trotted a mile at Philadelphia in har- 
ness in 2.48.1. Later, in 18 18, Boston Blue made an authentic 
mile in 3.00 at Jamaica, New York. This record compares favor- 
ably with English records in Norfolk and elsewhere. 

A most important source of trotting blood in America was the 
importation of the stallions Messenger and Bellfounder, whose 
histories are worthy of special mention. 

36 



THE AMERICAN TROTTER 



37 



Messenger, commonly known as Imported Messenger, was a 
Thoroughbred, his pedigree tracing back through his sire to 
Flying Childers and the Darlcy Arabian. He was foaled in 1780 
in England and proved a successful racer, and as a five-year-old 
won the King's Plate. Believing that he would do valuable serv- 
ice in the stud, he was imported to the United States in May, 
1788. Messenger, however, though a trotting sire, had no imme- 
diate descendants that proved to be noted trotters. He secured 
his chief fame through his son Mambrino, a Thoroughbred, that 
in turn was sire of Abdallah, a breeder of trotters. Messenger 
was a gray, 154- hands high, with strong loins and powerful hind 
quarters. He was in stud service for twenty years in America, 
— in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. He died Janu- 
ary 28, 1808, leaving a lineage of driving horses of remarkable 
excellence. 

Bellfounder, known as Jary's Bellfounder in England and as 
Imported Bellfounder in the United States, was foaled in 18 15, 
and was imported from Norfolk in 1822. He was a bright bay, 
with black mane, tail, and legs, stood 15 hands high, and was a 
natural trotter. At the time he was brought to America he was 
regarded as one of the very fleetest and most powerful trotters, 
and is said to have trotted 17 miles in an hour. Velocity, his 
dam, trotted 16 miles in an hour on the Norwich road in 1806, 
while two years later she is reported to have made 18 miles in 
I hour and 47 seconds. Thus it can be seen how a strong line 
of trotting blood was brought to America. Bellfounder was taken 
to Orange County, New York, where he went into stud service. 
Here he sired the Charles Kent Mare, a most important con- 
necting link with his American fame. Bellfounder died on Long 
Island in 1843. 

Trotting families of note have been developed in America 
during the past century, from which are descended the trotting 
horses of eminence to-day. The families introduced below are 
recognized as the most important. The judicious blending of 
these families has, in cases, resulted in very great success, as for 
example in the case of the Hambletonian and Mambrino. 

The Hambletonian family. On May 15, 1849, ^^^ Charles 
Kent Mare gave birth to a male foal from service of Abdallah, 



38 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE . 

the grandson of Messenger. This mare was owned by Jonas 
Seely of Chester, Orange County, New York, who later sold 
her with foal at side to William M. Rysdyk for $125. This 
colt was later named Hambletonian 10, and is frequently re- 
ferred to as Rysdyk's Hambletonian. This stallion proved the 
founder of the most famous American family of trotters, for to 
him may be traced many of the most illustrious trotters of his- 
tory. In 1 85 1 Hambletonian began service in stud, which, with 
the exception of one year (1868), he continued until 1872. Dur- 
ing twenty-one years of service he sired 1287 foals, the service 
fees for which amounted to $185,715. Hambletonian 10 was a 
bay in color, with a star and white hind ankles, stood 15}, hands 
high, and was powerful in build. His head was large, with 
pleasant eyes, his neck and shoulders strong, the body round 
and full, legs and feet of superior character, and he stood some- 
what higher behind than in front. As a three-year-old Hamble- 
tonian made a record of 2.48^- over the Union course. He 
died March 27, 1876, long after his value as a sire began to be 
appreciated. He was undoubtedly the greatest progenitor in 
American trotting history. 

Among the famous sons and daughters of Hambletonian 10 are 
Alexander's Abdallah, Electioneer, George Wilkes, Aberdeen, 
Volunteer, Happy Medium, Harold, Strathmore, Dictator, Dexter, 
Nettie 2.18, Orange Girl 2.20, Gazelle 2.21, Jay Gould 2.2 1^, 
and Bella 2.22. The first eight of these proved very prepotent 
sires, and thus demonstrated the value of their remarkable sire. 

The Mambrino family. This family is named from Mambrino 
Chief, foaled in 1S44, and bred by Richard Eklridge of Dutchess 
County, New York. Mambrino Chief was b)- Mambrino Pay- 
master and he by Mambrino, the ThoroughlM'ed son of Mes- 
senger. His dam is untraced. He was a dark brown stallion 
about 16 hands high ; by some referred to as coarse, though he 
proved a very superior breeder. Mambrino Chief was taken to 
Kentucky in 1854, where he went into active service and passed 
the rest of his days. His son, Mambrino Patchen, sired scores of 
trotters, while his daughter, Dolly, was the dam of Onward, 
Director, and Thorndale, a remarkable trio. Mambrino King, by 
Mambrino Patchen, was regarded by many as the most beautiful 



THE AMERICAN TROIT'ER 



39 



Pedigree of Hambletonian io 



^ Messenger 
(Thoroughbred) 



Hambletonian 

IO 



Mambrino 
(trotter) 



^ Mare by 



fAbdallah t -! 
{trotter) 



f Son of 
Amazonia I Messenger 
L (trotter) 1 

1^ Unknown 



' Mambrino, by 

Engineer, 
■i by Sampson 

^ Dam by Turf 

Sour Crout 
(Imp.) 



r Messenge 



Jary's 

Bellfounder -i 

(trotter) 



Charles Kent 
Mare 



C Bellfounder 
(trotter) 



(^Unknown 



Bishop's 
Hambletonian ■{ 



One Eye < 



(trotter) 



Silvertail 



Messenger 
(Imp.) 

Pheasant, by 
Shark 



r Messenger 
I (Imp.) 

Black Jin 
(untraced) 



horse in America in his day. Lady Thorn, a daughter of Mam- 
brino Chief, trotted io6 heats inside 2.30, and won national 
fame. The union of the descendants of Mambrino Chief and 
Hambletonian 10 produced most efficient results. 

The Morgan family. This is one of our oldest trotting families, 
and inherits its name from a stallion named Justin Morgan, 
foaled in 1793 at West Springfield, Massachusetts. From this 



40 



THE IIORSK, ASS, AND MULE 



place he was taken to Vermont, in which state this family of 
horses has gained great distinction. Justin Morgan was sired by 
True Briton, whose ancestry may be traced back to the Godolphin 
Barb ; his dam is given as Diamond, she also tracing back to the 
Godolphin Barb. It is but fair to state here that the breeding of 
Justin Morgan is more or less questioned, and the above ances- 
try is based on investigations of Joseph Battell of Middlebury, 




Fig. 12. Arion. The high e.st-priced American troUer. Purchased by J. Malcolm 
Forbes, Boston, Massachusetts, for $150,000. Now owned by M. W. Sav- 
age, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Arion holds the fastest record for a three- 
year-old colt of 2.10^. Illustration by courtesy of Mr. Savage 



Vermont. This stallion is described as about 14 hands high, 
weight 950 pounds, dark bay with black points, and possessed of 
great vitality; he died in 182 1, at twenty-eight years of age. He 
was a fast walker, a good trotter, and was most intelligent, being 
used as a military charger or parade horse, as a short-distance 
runner and a farm work horse. He proved to be a wonderfully 
prepotent stallion, and on his blood is founded the Morgan horse 



THE AMERICAN TROTTER 



41 



family. There is a register for Morgan horses ; already about 
five thousand have been recorded in the second volume, and to 
be eligible for registration the pedigree of every horse recorded 
must trace in some degree to Justin Morgan. 

Justin Morgan had a long stud career, but he did not produce 
great breeding sons in the same degree as did Hambletonian 10. 
Three of his sons, Bulrush, Woodbury, and Sherman Morgan, 
were his greatest offspring. A son of Sherman Morgan, named 
Black Hawk, foaled in 1833, was a trotter and vigorous sire, and 
fourteen of his sons became recognized trotters. Ethan Allen, 
his greatest son, was bred in New York State, and was foaled in 
1849 from a dam of unknown ancestry. He became very famous 
and popular as a successful trotter and he proved also to be a 
great sire. The mare Pocahontas, by Iron's Cadmus, with a 
record of 2.17^ in 1855, bred to Ethan Allen, became the dam 
of another Pocahontas, for which Robert Bonner later on paid 
$40,000. Among the thirty-six producing sons and daughters of 
Ethan Allen no one attained such distinction as did Daniel 
Lambert, himself the sire of thirty-eight trotters. The sire of 
the dam of Daniel Lambert was Abdallah, the sire of Hamble- 
tonian 10. Later years have shown that the Hambletonian and 
Morgan families could be bred together to very great advantage. 

At the present time the United States government is conduct- 
ing special experiments with the purpose in view of developing 
an American breed of heavy harness horses. The Morgan family 
is being used to furnish much of the important blood used in this 
work. The stallion Carmon, a descendant of Justin Morgan, is 
the chief stallion in use in the stud at the Colorado Experiment 
Station, where the government is conducting this work. The 
VernKjnt Experiment Station is also establishing a stud of 
Morgans, where experimental breeding will be conducted under 
government direction. 

The Clay family. In 1820 a stallion was imported from Trip- 
oli, foaled in 18 16, that was regarded as of great beauty, action, 
and speed. He was a small iron gray, standing 14] hands high. 
Used in the stud near Philadelphia he sired Young Bashaw out 
of a granddaughter of Imported Messenger. Young Bashaw 
sired Andrew Jackson, the fastest trotter of his day. The 



42 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MUIJ-: 

trotting mare Lady Surrey, brought from Canada and owned by 
George M. Patchen, was bred to Andrew Jackson, from which 
in 1837 she dropped a foal, named Henry Clay, the sire from 
which this family derives its name. Henry Clay sired Black 
Douglas and Cassius M. Clay, the latter celebrated in his day 
and the sire of George M. Patchen. The latter made a record 
of 2.2 3i in i860 and later became a distinguished sire, six- 
teen of his sons having standard records and thirty-five of his 
daughters being dams of either trotters or pacers. 

The Pilot family. A black or dark brown horse by the name 
of Pilot first attracted attention in this family. He was foaled in 
1828 in the province of Quebec. His sire is unknown and his 
dam was Jeanne d'Arc, by Voyager. When eighteen months 
old he was taken to Connecticut, and in 1830 to New York. In 
1 83 1 he was sold to go to New Orleans and in 1832 he was 
returned to Kentucky, where he died about 1853 on the farm of 
Robert Bell near Henderson. Pilot was not only a pacer but he 
would also trot. His greatest son was Pilot Jr., a gray horse 
15^ hands high, foaled in 1844, out of Nancy Polk by P'unk's 
Havoc. Pilot Jr. was a very successful breeder of brood mares. 
Bred to Sally Russell, a Thoroughbred daughter of Boston, he 
sired Miss Russell, one of the greatest American brood mares, 
the mother of the great Maud S. Another daughter. Midnight, 
out of a Thoroughbred daughter of Lexington, was the dam of 
Jay- Eye-See with a pacing record of 2.06^ and a trotting record 
of 2.10. Waterwitch, another daughter of Pilot Jr., produced 
nineteen foals that lived, six of which made records of 2.30 or 
better. The family history of Pilot is more or less obscure. He 
bred both pacers and trotters, and rendered valuable service to 
the American racing-horse interests. 

Hal family. Years ago down in Kentucky there was kept 
a roan saddle horse, bred in Canada, known as Tom Hal. It is 
said that he was much abused in his time, was ridden nearly to 
death over rocky roads by a drunken wretch in an elm-crotch 
saddle. For years he stood at a fee of $5.00 to insure, with no pay 
if he did not get a good saddle horse. His ancestry is somewhat 
obscure, but it is claimed that he had Morgan blood in his veins. 
Tom Hal attained fame as the sire of Gibson's Tom Hal, the 



THE AMERICAN TROTTER 



43 



sire of Hal Pointer 2.04^, Little Brown Jug 2.11^, and Brown Hal 
2. 12^. The latter became the sire of Star Pointer, a pacer of mar- 
velous speed, character, and endurance, that reduced the pacing 
record to 1.59^. Brown Hal is the sire of about fifty in the list, 
including Hal Dillard 2.043, Hal Chaffin 2.05^, Elastic Pointer 
2.o6i, Star Hal 2.o6|, and Hal Braden 2.07^. This is the most 
distinguished family embracing a large percentage of pacing blood. 




Fig. 13. Lou Diliw... li.,iw. ..«....,;, i^..cu..i,,w,i.-,hip of the world, at 1.58^. 
The most sensational trotter in American history. Owned by C. K. G. 
Billings, Chicago, Illinois. From photograph taken in 1905, by courtesy 
National Stockman and Farmer 



The type of the American trotter is far from being fixed. No 
breed of horses has been produced under more variable condi- 
tions, and no recognized breed of stock contains a greater varia- 
tion in size, color, and character than does this light harness 
breed. In fact, there is so little breed type that many persons 
refuse to recognize it as a breed. In its best development this 
light harness horse has symmetry of form, — a lean, intelligent 
head ; a medium long, refined, and graceful neck ; sloping, well- 
laid shoulders ; sharp withers ; fairly level, short, strong back ; 
graceful, muscular croup, with tail well carried and set high; lean, 



44 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

muscular thigh ; round, deep body ; and legs short, clean, fine boned, 
and with excellent feet. This horse has a strong, long, quick 
stride, a clean hock action, and greater activity of motion than 
any other trotter known. Weights of 1 150 pounds for a stallion 
and 900 pounds for a mare are very acceptable ; while any color 
will p:iss, although bays and lirowns are most numerous. 

What is a standard-bred trotter? In 1882 the constitution of 
the National Association of Trotting Horse Breeders, an associ- 
ation organized in 1876, was amended, and among the rules 
adopted were the following. 

In order to define what constitutes a trotting-bred horse, and to estab- 
lish a dree'i^ of trotters on a more intelligent basis, the following rules are 
adopted to control admission to the records of pedigrees. When an animal 
meets with the requirements of admission and is duly registered, it shall be 
accepted as a standard trotting-bred animal. 

First. Any stallion that has, himself, a record of two minutes and thirty 
seconds (2.30) or better ; provided any of his get has a record of 2.40 or 
better ; or provided his sire or his dam, his grandsire or his grandam, is 
already a standard animal. 

Second. Any mare or gelding that has a record of 2.30 or better. 

Third. Any horse that is the sire of two animals with a record of 2.30 or 
better. 

Fourth. Any horse that is the sire of one animal with a record of 2.30 
or better ; provided he has eitlier of the following additional qualifications : 
(i) a record himself of 2.40 or better; (2) is the sire of two other animals 
with a record of 2.40 or better; (3) has a sire or dam, grandsire or gran- 
dam, that is already a standard animal. 

Fifth. Any mare that has produced an animal with a record of 2.30 or 
better. 

Sixth. The progeny of a standard horse when out of a standard mare. 

Seventh. Theprogeny of a standard horse out of a mare by a standard horse. 

Eighth. The progeny of a standard horse when out of a mare whose dam 
is a standard mare. 

Ninth. Any mare that has a record of 2.40 or better, and whose sire or 
dam, grandsire or grandam, is a standard animal. 

Tenth. A record to wagon of 2.35 or better shall be regarded as equal 
to a 2.30 record. 

The " Trotting Register," as published by J. H. Wallace, first 
appeared under his name in 1871, and horses were registered 
in this according to the above rules. The American Trotting 
Register Association succeeded the National and Mr. Wallace 
sold to it his Trotting Register as well as his Year Book in 



THE AMERICAN TROTTER 



45 



which the annual trotting records are published. The present 
rules for registration of the American Association are as follows : 

When an animal meets these requirements and is duly registered it shall 
be accepted as a standard-bred trotter. 

1. The progeny of a registered standard trotting horse and a registered 
standard trotting mare. 

2. A stallion sired by a registered standard trotting horse, provided his 
dam and grandam were sired by registered standard trotting horses, and he 




Fig. 14. Dan Patch. The fastest pacer in history. Holds world's record of 
1.55J. Purchased for $60,000 by Mr. M. W. Savage, Minneapolis, Min- 
nesota. Illustration by courtesy of Mr. Savage 

himself has a trotting record of 2.30 and is the sire of three trotters with 
records of 2.30 from different mares. 

3. A mare whose sire is a registered standard trotting horse, and whose 
dam and grandam were sired by registered standard trotting horses, pro- 
vided she herself has a trotting record of 2.30 or is a dam of one trotter 
with a record of 2.30. 

4. A mare sired by a registered standard trotting horse, provided she is 
the dam of two trotters with records of 2.30. 

5. A mare sired by a registered standard trotting horse, provided her first, 
second, and third dams are each sired by a registered standard trotting horse. 



46 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



The speed of the trotter is the main factor influencing values, 
and the speed record of an animal, or its relationship to such, 
will essentially affect its selling price. As might be expected, 
foals occasionally change hands at large prices, based on the 
pedigree and speed records therein. The speed of the trotter 
has been constantly improved, until the end of 1904 saw records 
that would not have been thought possible by persons living a 
generation ago. All of the standard racing records have been 
materially changed during the nineteenth century. The following 
statement shows how this record has been lowered between 18 10 
and 1904, representing horses in harness and not under saddle. 



Reduction of Trotting Record 



Name op Horse 



Boston .... 
Trouble 

Sally Miller . . 
Kdwin P'orrest . 
Dutchman . . 
Lady Suffolk . 
Pelham . . 
Highland Maid . 
Flora Temple . 
Flora Temple 
Dexter .... 
Goldsmith Maid 
Goldsmith Maid 
Rarus .... 



St. Julian . . 
Maud S. . . 
Jay-Eye-See . 
Maud S. . . 
Sunol . 
Nancy Hanks 
Mix. . . . 
The Abbot . 
Cresceus . . 
Lou Dillon 
Lou Dillon 



Place of Record 



I'hiladelphia, Pa. 
Jamaica, N.V. 
Philadelphia, Pa. 
Philadelphia, Pa. 
Hoboken, N.J. 
Hoboken, N.J. 
Jamaica, N.^'. 
Jamaica, N.V. 
Jamaica, N.Y. 
Kalamazoo, Mich. 
Buffalo, N.Y. 
Milwaukee, Wis. 
Boston, Mass. 
Buffalo, N.Y. 
Oakland, CaL 
Chicago, 111. 
Providence, R.L 
Cleveland, Ohio 
Stockton, Cal. 
Terre Haute, Ind. 
Galesburg, 111. 
Terre Haute, Ind. 
Columbus, Ohio 
Readville, Mass. 
Memphis, Tenn. 



Date 



Aug. 


25. 


1810 


2 


Oct. 


3. 


1826 


2 


Nov. 


21, 


1834 


2 


Oct. 


16, 


1838 


2 


July 


18, 


1839 


2 


Oct. 


13. 


184s 


2. 


July 


2, 


1849 


2. 


July 


14. 


1853 


2. 


Sept. 


2 


1856 


2. 


Oct. 


IS, 


1859 


2. 


Aug. 


14, 


1867 


2. 


Sept. 


6, 


1871 


2. 


Sept. 


2 


1874 


2. 


Aug. 


3. 


1878 


2. 


Oct. 


25. 


1879 


2. 


Sept. 


18, 


1880 


2. 


Aug. 


I, 


1884 


2, 


July 


30. 


1885 


2. 


Oct. 


20, 


1891 


2. 


Sept. 


28, 


1892 


2. 


Sept. 


19. 


1894 


2. 


Sept. 


26, 


1900 


2. 


Aug. 


2, 


1901 


2. 


Aug. 


24, 


1903 


2. 


Oct. 


24, 


1903 


I. 



Record 



■43| 
■2,7 
•361 
•32 
•29I 
.28 
27 

•24| 
•19I 
■^7\ 
■17 
.14 

■n\ 

.I2| 
.I0| 
.10 

.o8| 

.08^ 
04 
03:} 
03 f 

02^ 

00 

58i* 



* With wind shield. 



J'HE AMERICAN TRO'lTER 



47 



Some of the fastest trotting records to January i, 1906, are 
given below. There are numerous standard trotting events, such 
as against time, in races, double teams, three abreast, half-mile 
track, mile track, etc. There are many fastest records, of which 
these are perhaps of most interest. 



Name of Horse 



Date 



Record 



Half mile . . 
One mile . . 
Two miles . . 
Five miles . . 
Ten miles . . 
Twenty miles 
Fifty miles 
One hundred miles 

Fastest stallion . . 
Fastest mare . . . 
Fastest gelding . . 
Fastest yearling colt 
Fastest yearling filly 



Fastest new performer, 

stallion 

Fastest new performer, 

mare 

Fastest new performer, 

gelding 

Trotting to wagon, one 

mile 

Double team, one mile 



Three abreast 



Major Delmar, b.g., by Del Mar . . 

Lou Dillon, ch.m., by Sidney Dillon . 

Cresceus, ch.h., by Robert McGregor 

Zambro, br.g., by McKinney . . . 

Pascal, blk.g., by Pascarel . . . . 

Capt. McGowan, rn.h., untraced . . 

Ariel, br.m., untraced 

Conqueror, b.g., by Latourette Bell- 
founder 

Cresceus, ch., by Robert McGregor . 

Lou Dillon (see above mile record^ 

Major Delmar, b.g., by Del Mar . . 

Adbell, b., by Advertiser . . . . 

Pansy McGregor, b., by Fergus 
McGregor 

Kinney Lou, by McKinney . . . . 



Lou Dillon 

Lord Derby, b., by Mambrino King . 



Lou Dillon 

The Monk, br.g., by Chimes; and 

Equity, blk.g., by Heir-at-Law . 
Belle Hamlin, br.m.. Globe, br.g. ; and 

Justina, b.m 



1904 


•59| 


1903 


1.58 P 


1902 


4.17 


1902 


12.24 


1893 


26.1S 


1865 


58.25 


1846 


3-55-4oi 


i8S3 


8.55-33 


1901 


2.02I 


1903 


I -591* 


1894 


2.23 


1893 


2-231 


1903 


2.O7I 


1903 


1-581* 


1900 


2.07 


1903 


2.00 


1904 


2.07I 


1891 


2.14 



Important sires of both trotters and pacers are listed in con- 
siderable numbers. There is no great trotter or pacer of breed- 
ing prepotency, with an extended list of offspring, but what has 
sired some animals that were natural trotters and some pacers. 
Most prominent among the stallions that have sired 2.15 per- 

* With wind shield. 



48 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

formers up to January i, 1906, arc the following, selected from 
a list of about two thousand : Alcantara 2.23, by George Wilkes 
2.22; Baron Wilkes 2.18, by George Wilkes 2.22 ; Brown Hal 
2..\2\, by Tom Hal; Chimes 2.30J, by Electioneer ; Electio7ieer, 
by Hambletonian 10; George Wilkes 2.22, by Hambletonian 10; 
Happy Medium 2.32^, by Hambletonian 10; McKimiey 2.1 1], 
by Alcyone 2.27; Onward 2.2 i)\, by George Wilkes 2.22 ; Red 
Wilkes 2.40, by George Wilkes 2.22 ; Robert McGregor 2.\y\, 
by Major lulsall 2.29 ; Sij/imons 2.28, by George Wilkes 2.22. 

The list of famous American trotting or pacing brood mares is 
a very long one, there being over four thousand of more or less 
distinction at this time. Three of these mares well deserve to 
be placed at the head of this list. 

Beautiful Bells, by The Moor, dam Minnehaha, was foaled 
in 1872. She was bred by L. J. Rose in California, though 
owned at Palo Alto by Leland Stanford, where she dropped her 
first foal in 1880 to the service of Electioneer. She produced 
trotters of great merit, either by Electioneer or his sons. On 
her sire's side she was a Pilot, on the dam's a Mambrino. 

Green Mountain Maid was foaled in 1862. She was bred by 
Samuel Conklin of Middletown, New York. Her sire was Harry 
Clay, dam Shanghai Mary. She was a brown mare with star 
and white hind ankles, and stood i 5 hands high. At the Stony 
Ford Farm of Charles Backman she spent most of the twenty-si.x 
years of her life, dying in 1888. Her greatest son was Elec- 
tioneer, one of America's most prepotent sires. Green Moun- 
tain Maid was the dam of sixteen foals. In memory of this mare, 
a red granite monument was erected in 1889 by Mr. Backman, 
"on the spot dedicated to her worth and honored by her dust." 

Miss Russell, a gray mare foaled in 1865, bred by R. A. Alex- 
ander at Woodburn, Kentucky, is the third worthy. She was 
sired by Pilot Jr., and out of Sally Russell by Boston, and her 
fifth dam was by the great imported Thoroughbred, Diomed. 
Miss Russell was the dam of eighteen foals. Nutwood, by Bel- 
mont, her first foal, was her greatest son, he siring 133 trotters 
and 35 pacers, while Maud S. by Harold, was her most famous 
dauirhter. 



CHAPTER VII 

THE PACER 

The ancestry of the pacer does not differ from that of the 
trotter. The distinguishing difference between them, if any, 
depends upon the gait. However, the same horse may pace on 
one occasion and trot on another. 

The pace consists in the two legs on one side being moved 
forward at about the same time, thus presenting a sort of par- 
allel mov^ement. The horse naturally paces when his body is 
hardly long enough to permit of a free diagonal movement with- 
out interference of the feet. The pace provides a freer movement. 

The trot consists in moving forward at much the same time 
front and rear opposite limbs, as, for example, the left front leg 
and the right hind leg. On account of the special leg movement, 
as exhibited by the gait, the pacer is often referred to as a " side 
wheeler," or "rackcr," while the trotter is called " diagonal- 
gaited." The pace involves more of a swaying movement than 
the trot and is much less popular than the smoother moving trot. 

The trot and pace are interchangeable, and numerous race 
horses possess each gait. The stallion Direct, with a pacing 
record of 2.05 i, also had a trotting record, as a four-year-old, of 
2.184. Brown Hal, a great pacing sire, also has a trotting record. 
John R. Gentry 2.00^, a standard-bred trotter, is a very fast pacer 
and a sire of pacers. Jay-Eye-See was first a trotter at 2.10 
and later a pacer at 2.05 J . Most horses naturally have one gait, 
but many of them are easily taught the other. Hamilton Busby 
states that he has seen the late Robert Bonner, the well-known 
light-horse enthusiast and student of equine form and foot 
ballast, take a pacing colt and in a few minutes change it to a 
trotter by simply changing the bearing of its heels. The pace 
is the faster gait of the two, being regarded as about three 
seconds faster than the trot. 

49 



50 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



The conformation of the pacing horse often shows a steepness 
of croup and curving of hocks which appear to be more or less 
associated with the gait, though not necessarily so. Some of the 
most famous pacers in American racing history have had this 
peculiar conformation which, to say the least, is not beautiful. 

The pacing standard, as established by the American Trotting 
Register Association, is the same as the existing trotting stand- 
ard. Except that the word "pacer" is substituted for the word 
"trotter," the word "pacing" for the word "trotting," and the 




Fig. 15. Dan R. One of the fastest recent pacers, with a record of 2.0 if m 
1903, and credited with the fastest heat of that year. Photograph from 
National Stockman and Farmer 



speed standard 2.25 for 2.30, the first five paragraphs of official 
trotting and pacing standards are alike. The pacing standard, 
however, has a sixth paragraph, which is as follows : 

6. The progeny of a registered .standard trotting horse out of a registered 
standard pacing mare, or of a registered standard pacing horse out of a 
registered trotting mare. 

This last paragraph brings out the interesting point in an offi- 
cial way, that the result of the union of a pacer and trotter may 
create a standard-bred pacer. 



THE PACER 



51 



Pacing records now receive much attention from the pubHc, 
although in early days the trot was the greater favorite of the 
two, especially prior to i860. The following table shows how the 
pacing record has been reduced since 1839. 

Reduction of Pacing Record to January i, 1906 



Name of Horse 

Drover 

Fanny EUsler .... 

Unknown 

Pet 

Pocahontas 

Sleepy George .... 

Sleepy Tom 

Little Brown Jug . . . 

Johnston 

Direct 

Hal Pointer 

Mascot 

Robert J 

John R. Gentry . . . 

Star Pointer 

Prince Alert 

Dan Patch 



Place of Record 



Date Record 



New Jersey 
Albany, N.Y. 
New Jersey 
Long Island, N.Y. 
Long Island, N.Y. 
Rochester, N.Y. 
Chicago, 111. 
Hartford, Conn. 
Chicago, 111. 
Independence, Iowa 
Chicago, 111. 
Terre Haute, Ind. 
Terre Haute, Ind. 
Portland, Me. 
Readville, Mass. 
Empire City Track, N.Y. 
Memphis, Tenn. 



1839 
1844 
1844 
1852 
185s 
1879 
1879 
1881 
1884 
1891 
1892 
1892 



1897 
1904 

1905 



2.28 

2.27I 

2.23 

2.l8i 

2.i7i 
2-i5i 

2.I2I 

2. Ill 

2.o6| 
2.06 

2.0Si 
2.04 
2.O1I 
2.OOI 

1-591 
1-57* 
I-5SP 



SO.ME OF THE FASTEST PaCING ReCORDS TO JANUARY I, 1906 



Event 

Half mile 

One mile 

Fastest heat, stallion 

Fastest heat, gelding 

Fastest heat, mare . . 

Fastest heat, four-year- 
old 

One mile to high wheel . 

One mile with running 
mate 

Three miles to wagon . 

One mile on half-mile 
track 



Name of Horse 



Dan Patch, by Joe Patchen 
Dan Patch, by Joe Patchen 
Star Pointer, by Brown Hal 
Prince Alert, by Crown Prince 
The Broncho, by Stormcliffe 

Searchlight, by Dark Night. 
Dan Patch 



Flying Jib, by Algona . 
Longfellow, by Red Bill 



Dan Patch 



Date 



1903 
1905 
1897 
1901 

1905 

1898 
1903 

1894 
1868 

1905 



Recoku 



.56* 

2.00^ 
2. oof 
2.o3i 

2.04I 

2.04I* 

i-S8i 
7-53 



* Wind shield and pace maker in front. 



52 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



Money-winning trotting or pacing families. During 1904, 
according to the American Horse Breeder, 150 sires were repre- 
sented by money-winning performers on the Grand Circuit. Of 
these, 128, or 85 J per cent, trace back through the male line to 
Hambletonian 10 ; while 71, or 47.3 per cent, trace back to Ham- 
bletonian's greatest son, George Wilkes, he having 14 sons, 
44 grandsons, and 13 great-grandsons among the winning sires. 
These descendants of George Wilkes won a total of $243,682, 
or more than half of all the money won during the season. 
Total winnings credited to descendants of Hambletonian were 
$407,084 as against a grand total of $464,847. 

The following is the summary : 



Families 


Total 
Sires 


Per cent 


Total 
Winnings 


Per cent 


Hambletonian lo 

Mambrino Chief 

Tom Hal 

Pocahontas Boy 

Miscellaneous 


128 

9 
6 

5 


85-33 
6.00 
4.00 
133 
?,-33 


^407,084 

18,415 
31,960 

1.875 
5.513 


87.6 

3-9 

6.9 

•4 

1.2 


Total 


150 


100.00 


^464,847 


1 00.0 



The number of record-making horses listed among those 
standard-bred is very largo and is constantly and rapidly in- 
creasing. At the close of the year 1904 there were 20,282 
trotters in the 2.30 list, and i 1,745 P^'^cers in the 2.25 list. 

The prices paid for standard-bred horses represent in some 
cases remarkable xaluations, while a long list might be given of 
animals that have changed hands at $10,000 or more each. The 
highest price ever paid for a trotter was $150,000, paid by Mr. 
J. Malcolm Forbes of Boston for Arion 2.07!, by Electioneer. 
In 1905, at a sale at Madison Square Garden, Mr. M. W. Savage 
of Minneapolis purchased Arion for $2500. The trotting stallion 
Axtell 2.12, by William L., was purchased by a company at 
Terre Haute, Indiana, for $105,000. Dan Patch i.55i, the 
great pacing horse, was purchased for $60,000 by Mr. M. W. 
Savage, who has since refused $180,000 for him. Among other 



THE PACER 



53 



notable prices paid for standard-bred horses are the following : 
Nancy Hanks, ^45,000; Sunol, $41,000; Maud S., $40,000; 
Mascot, $26,000. 

Successful drivers of light harness horses must be men of 
exemplary habits, and must, in order to accomplish results, 
possess the keenest knowledge of the temperament and capacity 
of the horse. Among the famous drivers of America may be 
mentioned Ed. Geers, Budd Doble, John Splan, Charles Marvin, 




Fig. 16. Elastic Pointer, a pacer with record of 2.o6|. A full brother of Star 
Pointer, 1.59!, one of the greatest pacers in history. Photograph from 
A'atioiial Stockman and Farmer 



Alonzo and Alta McDonald, W. J. Andrews, Al. Thomas, Chas. 
De Ryder, and George Spear. In 1905 the following sums were 
won in races by successful drivers : Ed. Geers, $32,004 ; Lon 
McDonald, $27,160 ; T. Murphy, $16,920 ; Al. Thomas, $16,148. 



CHAPTER VIII 

THE ORLOFF TROTTER 

This breed is comparatively unknown in America, being of 
Russian origin and not much bred outside of that country. 

The origin of the Orloff dates back to 1780. Count A. G. 
Orloff-Tschesminsky, from whom the breed takes its name, made 
a journey to Constantinople in 1780 as the emissary of Cath- 
erine II of Russia. The Sultan of Turkey sent back to Russia 
a gift of the Arab stallion Smetanka, an animal of superior 
breeding and unusual size and strength. This Arab was bred to 
a Danish mare, from which came a horse foal that was named 
Polkan 1st. The result of this union, bred to a big Dutch mare 
known as a " Hartdraver," produced another male foal, which 
was designated Bars ist, which is regarded as the first repre- 
sentative of the true Orloff breed of trotters. While in the 
evolution of the breed outcrosses with mares have been made, 
the line of descent from Bars ist on the sire's side has been 
carefully guarded. 

The characteristics of the Orloff are of a variable nature, as 
based on those shown in America. Mr. Jacob Heyl thus con- 
cisely describes the Orloff : ' 

In the first thirty years of our century (nineteenth) the Orloff trotters 
showed such pronounced type that it was difficult to distinguish one from 
another. The average height of the Orloff horse of to-day is from 15} to 
16 hands. To the casual observer they hardly give the impression of great 
quality, — at least not such as would warrant the presumption of extraordinary 
performances. 

The head is small and clean, the face wide between the eyes and almost 
invariably dished. The ears are small, the eyes large and full, though some- 
what sleepy when the horse is at rest. The neck is well connected, but 
inclined to be a trifle thick in the throat, arched beautifully, and carried 
very high, rising high from the withers. Owing to the rise of the withers, 

1 Breeders' Gazette, August i6, 1893. 
54 



THE ORLOFF TROTTER 



55 



the back, which is short and strong, appears slightly swayed and runs into 
broad, full loins. The croup has a peculiar rounding and is somewhat 
sloping. It is supplied with clearly defined layers of muscles, from which 
the horse derives its great propelling power. The shoulders are quite slop- 
ing and well muscled without being heavy. Fore arm and thigh show plenty 
of muscle and great length, while the cannons are correspondingly short, 
with an abundance of bone below the knee and hock. In standing the legs 
are generallv carried well under the body. Forelock, mane, and tail show 




Fig. 17. Oussan. An Oilolt trotter shown at Coliunbian E.xposition, 
Chicago, 1893. Commended for perfect form, size, and speed. 
Owned by the Grand Duke Dimitri of Russia 

a rich growth of medium fine hair, inclined to be wavy. A peculiarity is 
the growth of fine, long hair on the fetlocks, which seems to act as a pro- 
tection in deep snow. 

The general appearance of the Orloff when at rest is that of an animal 
of good size and substantial build, perhaps a trifle leggy on account of the 
proportionately small rump as compared with shoulders and hind quarters. 



hoofs. The whole appearance changes wonderfully, however, the moment 
the horse is in motion. Going up on the bit, head carried up and well arched 
in the neck, ears pointed and constantly playing, nostrils dilated and eyes 
sparkling, he moves along with determination and the precision of a piece 
of mechanism. The fore legs are well bent in the knee, the feet almost 
touching the elbows, while the hind legs are brought forward with great 
power, striking the ground well in front of the imprints of the fore feet. 



56 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



At all times the horse seems to trot within himself and be in perfect balance 
without outward aid. 

The disposition of the Orloff is perfect and his docility admirable ; he is 
a free, fearless driver. . . . He is a horse of great endurance, trotting 
mile after mile without any apparent fatigue. 

The above description is given by one who has not only 
studied the animals of this breed in Russia but who has also 
imported and owned them in America. 

There are apparently several types of Orloff s. Mr. M. W. 
Dunham, who judged tliis breed at the Columbian Exposition in 
1893, reports on the heavy type of Russian trotter, weighing 

from 1 100 to 1 300 pounds 
and standing from 154 to 
i6i hands high; he also 
reports on a lighter, finer 
sort. Though credited 
with great pow'cr and 
speed, some of the fastest 
ones have degenerated 
into a coarseness of form 
not sought after by 
American buyers. The 
lighter type is criticised 
by American judges as 
rather too long of back 
and sloping of quarters, 
and as having a higher 
knee action and less speed than the American trotter. They are 
commended as having great beauty of head, neck, and shoulders, 
and as possessing much intelligence and endurance, besides con- 
siderable speed. Yet they are too much like the American trotter 
to be wanted here. 

The color of the Orloff is quite commonly gra\-, white, or 
black, yet chestnuts and bays occur. 

Importations of Orloffs ha\'c been made to America on several 
occasions. In the spring of 1877 four stallions and one mare 
were brought over and sold at auction on October 13, all being 
bid in by Lieutenant Ismailoff of the Russian army, at prices 




Fig. 18. Ouiiadnik. First-prize Orloff trotter 
at Colunihian Exposition, 1893, in class of 
si.x judged by Mr. M. W. Dunham. Owned 
by Russian State Stud 



THE ORLOFF TROTTER 57 

ranging from $300 to $995. In 1890 Jacob Heyl, of Wisconsin, 
imported two black stallions, and in 1892 two stallions and four 
mares. That same year F. G. Bourne imported five stallions and 
one mare, while on July 25, 1893, eighteen head were imported, 
for showing at the Columbian Exposition. On April 10, 1902, 
after spirited bidding, twenty-eight Orloffs, imported by Bergh & 
Company, were sold at auction in the American Horse Exchange 
for an average price of $1243. With the exception of one chest- 
nut, all of these were blacks or grays. The highest price paid 
was $6400 for a pair of matched drivers. 

The speed of the Orloff is most excellent, but not the equal 
of the American trotter. The gray Orloff, Wzmakb, imported 
by Jacob Heyl, has a record for a mile in 2.27^. In 1893 Mr. J. 
H. Sanders gave the fastest Russian record of 1.40 for one verst 
(3500 feet) as made by the Orloff trotter Poitieshnoy, equivalent 
to a mile record of a trifle under 2.31. In short-distance races 
the record of the Russian trotter is inferior to the American, 
but on long stretches of three or more miles he is distinctly the 
superior. 

A cross of the Orloff and the American trotter seems to have 
been attended with excellent results. In recent years trotters 
have been taken to Russia from America, and the cross-bred 
progeny has shown superior speed, especially where the dam was 
the Orloff. In fact the half-bred offspring has shown greater 
speed as a rule than the sire. 



CHAPTER IX 

THE COACH OR CARRIAGE HORSE TYPE 

The coach or carriage horse is also frequently called the heavy 
harness horse. This type is intended for the special purpose of 
drawing coaches and other vehicles, such as may be commonly 
seen in every city of importance. It is also of value in light 
work where a larger type than the American trotter is wanted. 
A certain size and conformation generally found in the coach 
breeds are associated with this type. The American trotter of 
the larger size may, however, furnish the essentials needed in a 
high-class coach horse. 

The general appearance of a coach horse in good condition 
shows smooth, graceful body lines, with a general fullness in all 
the parts. The hcigJit should be about i6 hands and the ivcigJit 
from I lOO to 1250 pounds for geldings or mares. Stallions will 
usually range from 1250 to 1550, according to breed. In quality 
the coacher should be superior, showing the best of feet, bone, 
and hair. Action of the very best, high and strong at both knee 
and hock, is important, while graceful carriage is equally essential. 
In general appearance the best type of coach horse show's a long 
arching neck, round full body, long level croup, high carriage of 
tail, and what is known as a " coachy " or "trappy" action. 

The head of the coach horse should be lean, graceful, broad of 
forehead, rather prominent and bright of eye, deep of cheek, 
and wide and strong in lower jaw, the muzzle fine and nos'trils 
full and open, the ears refined, being neither large nor small, 
carried close and erect, and turning in slightly at the tijxs. The 
head should indicate quality in its leanness, intelligence in the 
broad, full forehead, and animation in brightness of eye and car- 
riage of ear and head in general. A smooth, neat attachment 
of head to neck is highly essential, a fullness at the throat and 
about the windpipe being most undesirable. 

58 



THE COACH OR CARRIAGE HORSE TYPE 59 

The neck of the coach horse in its best development may 
appear somewhat long, is gracefully arched, and shows a smooth, 
full, muscular development, yet is entirely free from thickness 
of draft-horse character. A ewe neck is out of place in this 
class. Much of the style and symmetry of the coach horse at 
rest is seen in the carriage and make-up of head and neck. In 
its attachment to the body the neck should blend smoothly. 

The chest of the coach horse calls for neither the thickness of 
the draft horse nor the narrowness of the Thoroughbred, but for 
a happy medium. It should be deep, and the breast should be 
carried out with some prominence. Too broad a chest prevents 
an open, free action. 

The sJioulders of the coach horse are long and oblique, sloping 
well into the back, with withers medium prominent and refined. 
A steep shoulder prevents a strong, rapid gait and promotes 
hard action, leading to defects of feet and legs. High or free 
knee action is dependent on a long, well-laid, muscular .shoulder. 
The long shoulder, the short back, and the long underline are 
features associated with the best development. 

The body of the coach horse should be round, short on top 
and long below, the ribs being long and well arched and the 
back and loin covered smoothly with strong, thick muscle. The 
loin in particular calls for strength, as indicated in levelness, 
breadth, and thickness. Depth of body at both front and hind 
flanks is desirable, with not too much prominence and over- 
shadowing of hips. 

The croup of the coach horse furnishes the power at the hind 
end. It should be long, broad, carried high, and thickly muscled. 
A steep, short croup is inconsistent with a beautiful coacher. 
The tail should have a high attachment, and should be carried 
with style and elevation. 

The tJiigJis and quarters of the coach horse must be muscular 
and plump, furnishing fullness of outline. The muscle of the 
thighs at the quarters must be thick and deep, giving fullness 
to the hind end. The gaskin, or lower thigh, should be strongly 
muscled and long. 

The Jiocks of the coach horse, viewed from one side, should 
be deep from front to rear ; the front should be broad and the 



6o 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



rear thin, the entire joint being lean and smooth, with no puffi- 
ness or coarseness. The action so essential in a coach horse can 
only be found in a normal, smooth, and strong hock. 

The legs of the coach horse, as a whole, must show cleanness, 
good bone, and plenty of muscle. The arm must be short, broad, 
and flat, with great muscle development. The elbows should 
stand out showing room between the legs and chest, indicating 
easy moving power. If the elbow is too close to allow the easy 
insertion of the hand between that and the body, the legs will not 




Fig. 19. Glorious Red Cloud. A nearly perfect specimen of a standard-bred 
American trotter in heavy harness as a coach horse. Owned by Thomas 
W. Lavvson of Boston, Massachusetts. Photograph by Schreiber from 
Auitional Stockman and Farmer 



Stand straight and the front toes will turn out, while if the elbow 
is too far from the body, the opposite result will obtain, in either 
case giving an awkward movement. T\\q fore arm should be very 
long and strongly muscled, wide at top, and tapering gracefully 
downward. The knee in its strength is broad in front and narrow 
behind, is full and prominent, and strongly attached both above 
and below. Sometimes the knees come too close together, often 
they are crooked, and occasionally they project too far over the 
cannon bones. The cannons, both front and rear^ should be flat, 



THE COACH OR CARRIAGE HORSE TYPE 6 1 

smooth, short, and strongly attached above and below. The ten- 
dons which pass along behind should stand out clear and strong, 
thus giving depth to the leg at this point. As the hand is passed 
down over the cannons no unnecessary roughness should be 
felt. Under both knee and hock the cannons should be deep, 
showing a strong attachment at these joints. The /^//^r/l' should 
be strong and placed straight and should be free from fleshiness. 
The pasterns should stand at an angle of about 45 degrees with 
the floor, and be long, smooth, and springy. As the horse stands 
naturally the pasterns should be well sustained, with no tend- 
ency to drop low and appear weak. If the pastern is short or 
straight, an easy gait cannot be assumed and the conditions pro- 
mote foot and leg diseases. A correct pastern at 45 degrees 
allows the proper placing of the foot, the frog striking first with 
the resulting jar or concussion less than it would be otherwise. 
T\\Q. feet are most important, and a capable judge of the horse 
will give them almost a first consideration. These should be of 
suitable size, round, wide at top, well developed at heel, and pref- 
erably of dark, hard bone. Ample size is important, for a small 
foot in the horse presages trouble. The hind part, or heel, should 
be wide and of reasonable depth, a low heel and flat foot being 
associated with poor feet. The bottom of the foot, or sole, 
should be concave and well arched. In a well-formed foot the 
frog should be wide at the heel, be strongly developed, and 
just touch the ground when the horse is at rest. Passing about 
the frog in a continuation of the wall of the hoof from behind 
is the bar of the foot. This bar helps to hold the sole of the 
foot together, and should be strong and show character. The 
front feet are usually rounder than the hind, and they are also 
more subject to injury and arc more commonly defective than 
the hind feet. 

The proper position of the legs of the horse when at rest may 
be noted as follows: Front leg. A plumb line dropped from point 
of shoulders will bisect the knee, cannon, pastern, and foot, 
viewed from the front. From the side, dropped from the center 
of the arm at the lower part of the body, such a line should 
about divide the leg to the fetlock joint, and then, passing to 
the ground, should just touch the back part of the foot. Hind 



62 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

/eg. From the rear, a plumb line dropped from point of croup 
or buttock will pass the center of hock, cannon, pastern, and 
foot. Viewed from the side, if dropped from point of croup or 
buttock, it should touch the point of hock and pass along close 
against the back edge of the cannon and parallel with it. 

Action in the coach horse is an absolute requirement. People 
vary in the degree to which they desire this. The lover of the 
Hackney desires a rather high, bold knee action of a flashy sort, 
with a notable elevation of the foot at its highest point. The 
hind legs have a powerful movement, the hocks are strongly 
bent or flexed, and the legs are carried well up under the body. 
This is what is known as a " trappy gait," and such a horse is a 
" high stepper." The coach horse possessing such a movement 
is in great demand in the horse market, and brings the highest 
price, other things being equal. Such a gait is not consistent 
with the best speed, and wise lovers of the horse prefer less 
high action and more reach and power. Further, with high knee 
action comes a greater concussion to limbs and feet, and conse- 
quently greater punishment and more rapid wearing out of the 
horse than would otherwise be the case. Especially is this true 
on the city pavement. Truene^s of action is essential, whether 
a high stepper or not, the legs being carried forward in the same 
general line and the feet moved neither in nor out. The hocks 
should be firm and not show weakness, as springing wide apart 
when in action, and the feet should be held true, neither turning 
in nor out at the toes. When either at walk or trot the horse 
should pass from or come toward the judge on the same true 
line, without sidewise gait, dragging feet, paddling, clicking, etc. 
Straight and regular movement should be sought for. Ordinarily 
a coach horse is expected to have a speed of about eight or ten 
miles an hour. 

Sub-classes of coach horses. On account of the requirements 
of city trade in particular, in relation to the size and use of vari- 
ous vehicles, the coach horse is divided into groups. This classi- 
fication only occurs, however, in the important horse shows and 
in the exclusive trade of the city dealer. Pure-bred coach horses, 
as a rule, do not come within these sub-classes when of the smaller 
type, though the Hackney may furnish an exception. 



CHAPTER X 

THE HACKNEY 

The word *< Hackney" has long been in use in Great Britain. The 
Norman invaders in the eleventh century brought from France 
the term Haquenee or Hacquenee, which is derived from the 
Latin cqnns, horse. As early as 1303 this word is said to have 
come into active use. This same century Chaucer in his writings 
refers to the hakeney or hacknay, spelling it both ways. Prior to 
the eleventh century it is supposed that the word "nag" (from the 
Anglo-Saxon knegan, neigh) was the common term in reference 
to the saddle horse of light type. Since those early days the 
words "nag " and " Hackney " have been in common use. 

The early British home of the Hackney was mainly located in 
eastern and northeastern England, in the counties of Suffolk, 
Norfolk, and York. The people in this region have for centuries 
greatly patronized the saddle horse or roadster. In the fifteenth 
century trotting horses were highly esteemed, and one of the 
family of Berney in Norfolk placed on one of his horses an esti- 
mate equivalent to $350. 

The original Hackney stock was subjected to variable influences. 
The Romans no doubt introduced horses from southern Europe, 
and these must have bred with the native English stock. Fol- 
lowing them came Scandinavian intruders, and it is assumed that 
Norwegian ponies were used in the mixture, giving British horse 
stock both speed and endurance. The abundance of trotting 
horses in sections occupied by Danish settlers would indicate 
the popularity of this type. Besides the commingling of different 
strains of blood, some enactments on horse breeding and develop- 
ment took place by royal decree as far back as 1495, when Henry 
Vni was on the throne. In 1558 Ralph Blundeville, of Norfolk, 
produced the first English book on the horse, which he designated, 
The Foure Chief est Offices beloiigijig to Horsemanship. 

63 



64 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



The active development of Hackneys really began in the eight- 
eenth century. In Norfolk there frequently appeared in the 
papers advertisements regarding horses for sale or breeding 
purposes, various animals being named specifically. These state- 
ments showed the use of Arabian, Barb, and Turkish stallions 




Fig. 20. Royal Danegelt (5785), by Danegelt (174). One of the most 
famous Hackney show horses and sires of England in recent years 
Owned and bred by Sir Walter Gilbey, Bart., England. Photograph 
from Sir Walter Gilbey 

on Norfolk mares. Undoubtedly the road horses of Norfolk 
and Suffolk were much appreciated for speed, and any blood 
that would contribute to this purpose and not injure stamina 
was used. Thus the Thoroughbred also played a part in early 
Hackney development. 

The important evolution of the Hackney probably began with 
a horse known under a variety of names, viz. Schales, Shales, 
The Original Shales, and Shields. This stallion was foaled in 
1755 and was probably sired by Blaze, a son of Flying Childers. 
In the breeding of this horse, registered in the first volume of 



THE HACKNEY 



65 



the EfiglisJi Hackney Sttidbook as The Original Shales (699), 
occurs Arabian, Turk, and Barb blood. He is but four genera- 
tions from the Darley Arabian. The Original Shales sired among 
others one son, Scot Shales (692), and he proved a great breeder, 
although not famous for speed. He was famous for getting 
"good stock out of common mares." In 1782 he was "justly 
esteemed the best stallion known to get good road horses." 
The Original Shales was also sire of Driver (187) that proved 
a great breeder. Coming along after these, as important factors 
in Hackney development and history, were the following : Fire- 
away (201) (Jenkinson's), foaled in 1 780; Fireaway (203) (West's) ; 
Fireaway (211) (Flanders); Pretender (596) (Wroot's) ; Fireaway 




Fig. 21. Lord Denby II, a Hackney stallion that has sired some of the 
choice show horses of the breed. Owned by Eben D. Jordan, Boston, 
Massachusetts. Photograph from Mr. Jordan 

(208) (Burgess); Bellfounder (52) (Steven's); Bellfounder (55) 
(Jary's), imported to America in 1822 ; Wildfire (864) (Rams- 
dale's) ; The Norfolk Cob (475) ; The Norfolk Phenomenon (522) ; 
Phenomenon (573) (Ramsdale's) foaled in 1835 ; Sir Charles 



66 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

(Beal's 768), foaled in 1843 ; Denmark (Bourdas' 177), foaled in 
1862 ; Danegelt (174), foaled in 1879, ^^^^ ^^^'^^ i" 1894. During 
the past fifty years the blood of Denmark and Danegelt has been 
most potent in Hackney history. Perhaps the fi\'e sires of most 
importance in the last quarter of the nineteenth century were 
Lord Derby 2d, Bourdas' Denmark, Triffitt's Fireaway, D'Oyley's 
Confidence, and Danegelt. 

Speed and endurance have always been important Hackney 
characteristics. Driver (187) is said to have trotted 17 miles in 
one hour, while Fireaway (201), old advertisements state, made 
2 miles on the road in 5 minutes. The Norfolk Cob is said to have 
trotted 24 miles in one hour. The famous mare Phenomena, in 
June, 1800, at twelve years of age, trotted 17 miles on the Hunt- 
ingdon road in 56 minutes, and again in July in less than 53 
minutes. In 181 1, when twenty-three years of age, she trotted 
9 miles in 28 minutes 30 seconds. The Hackney in early days 
was ridden to the saddle and so carried loads, often of weight 
approximating 200 pounds. During hot July weather, John A. 
Logan, Jr., drove a pair of Hackney mares, hitched to a two- 
seated buckboard, 94 miles in two days along the Hudson 
River and made the last 23 miles in i hour and 53 minutes. 

The Hackney in America dates back to 1822, when James 
Booth, of Boston, imported from Liverpool, Bellfounder (55) 
(Jary's), commonly known as Imported Bellfounder. He was 
sired by Bellfounder (52), with Pretender (596) for grandsire, and 
out of a mare named Velocity. The Bellfounders proved ani- 
mals of great speed and endurance, tracing back from the 
original Fireaways. Bellfounder was the sire of the Kent mare, 
the dam of Hambletonian 10. The great speed in the Ham- 
bletonian family of trotters may justly be regarded as tracing 
through the l^cllfounder lineage. 

It is believed that the Hudson Bay Company imported to 
Canada in 1830 an P^nglish Hackney named Fireaway, but for 
years no importations of this breed other than these two came 
to America, and they were not brought over as Hackneys. In 
188 I M. H. Cochrane of Hillhurst, Canada, brought an impor- 
tation to Canada from England, having among others a fine 
stallion named Fordham, by Denmark 177. The first Hackney 



THE HACKNEY 



67 



stud founded in the United States was established by A. J. Cas- 
satt of Philadelphia. In the spring of 1883 he imported the 
stallion Little Wonder and the mares Patience and Buttercup, 
having previously brought over the mare Stella by Confidence 
158. Little Wonder was exhibited in 1883, and later proved 
to be a breeder of much excellence. Other importations were 
as follows: Prescott Lawrence, Newport, Rhode Island, 1884; 
J. B. Perkins, Cleveland, Ohio, 1887; Henry Fairfax, Aldie, 



^^^^Bkl^I— — .^ -_-.-„c«>..^^ 





Fig. 22. Kirkburn Sensation (8533). Champion Hackney stallion at Royal 
Agricultural Society of England Show, 1904, and first and junior cham- 
pion at London Hackney Horse Society Show, 1904. Owned by Sir 
Walter Gilbey, Bart. Photograph from Wm. Cooper & Nephews, Berk- 
hamsted, England 



Virginia, 1888 ; John A. Logan, Youngstown, Ohio, 1888 ; Gal- 
braith Bros., Janesville, Wisconsin, J. H. Truman & Son, Bush- 
nell, Illinois, Powell Bros., Springboro, Pennsylvania, and some 
others, 1889. In 1890 Dr. Seward Webb, Shelburne Farms, 
Vermont, made an importation of twenty-seven mares and four 
stallions, the most important consignment up to this time. Since 
then many Hackneys have been brought to the United States 
from England. Among more recent importers, F. C. Stevens, 



68 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



Attica, New York, Kben D. Jordan, Boston, Massachusetts, and 
Robert Beith, Bowmanvillc, Ontario, Canada, are perhaps best 
known. 

Hackney characteristics are especially shown in conformation 
and gait. The type of this breed is usually associated with the 
horse full of breast, short of back, long, level, and broad of rump, 
deep of rib, short of leg, with a carriage of head and neck of 
the coachiest type. The Hackney may perhaps be regarded as 




Fig. 23. Faiulaiigu zd 373. A tine type of Hackney .stallion. l'ii.st at Bo.ston 
Hor.se Show and New York Open Air Show in 1899 anda winner at other 
exhibitions since. Owned by F. C. Stevens, Attica, New York. Photo- 
graph from owner 

blockier of form than other coach breeds of cob-like character. 
Mr. Henry F. Euren states that the general description of the 
Hackney which fitted both old style and new ideal is in brief 
this: "A powerfully built, short-legged, big, broad horse, with 
an intelligent head, neat neck, strong, level back, powerful loins, 
and as perfect shoulders as can be produced." 

While Hackney breeders desire a height ranging from 15^ to 
I 5] hands, this breed shows quite a variation in height. In 1885 



THE HACKNEY 



69 



the Royal Agricultural Society of England, at the request of 
the Hackney Studbook Society, increased the standard height 
for the breed to 15^ hands, and the class was well filled. There 
are Hackney ponies under 14 hands, Hackney cobs larger than 
ponies, and Hackney coachers over 16 hands. 

The gait of the Hackney originally had its chief value in a long, 
strong trot for road work. With the evolution of years the fashion 
of modern times called for the high stepper with extravagant 
action. The horse Confidence 158 (English studbook) was the 
sire of many horses of this type of gait, and, as some think, to 
the detriment of the breed, though "the get of Confidence yielded 
a larger total profit than any other horse of his day." While the 
fancy city trade desires matched pairs with very high action, this 
is inconsistent with the most graceful or forceful movement. The 
ideal Hackney has a perfect walk, and a trot associated with 
a powerful stride. The feet are carried clear and full from the 
ground and are strongly and actively raised at the knee, while 
the hock is carried forward under the body with much grace, 
strength, and action. 

The soundness of this breed has been much emphasized. At 
the first show of Hackneys held in Agricultural Hall, London, 
in 1885, it is said that over twenty stallions from four to sixteen 
years old were selected by the judges as absolutely sound. For 
some years the English Hackney Society, in its shows, has had 
the horses on exhibition examined for soundness, and the animals 
ha\e had to undergo a veterinary examination before being sub- 
mitted to the judges. The following figures show the results of 
examinations for five different years. 



Exhibition of 


Horses Examined 


Rejected 


Per cent Rejected 


1896 


396 


17 


4.20 


1897 


438 


23 


5-47 


1898 


436 


21 


4.80 


1903 


422 


21 


4-97 


1904 


416 


24 


5-76 



The color of the Hackney varies, but chestnuts at present 
seem in great favor. Bays and browns always have been popu- 
lar and common, while black, roan, buckskin, and sorrel occur 



70 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



occasionally. White markings also occur, as a blaze face or star, 
a white foot or pastern, or lower part of leg. 

Half-bred or grade Hackneys have become more or less 
popular in both America and Great Britain, while in France 
Hackney stallions have had much influence. A study of pedi- 
grees will show an important relationship of Norfolk Hackney 
blood in building up the French Coach, and the French have 




Fk;. 24. Ilildied, a very pcii^,^i ii|,c wi a Hackney mare, imported and 
owned by Eben D. Jordan of Boston. This mare in recent years has 
been a notable prize winner and favorite in American horse shows. 
Photograph from Mr. Jordan 



not been backward in using the Hackney for cross-breeding. 
In America Hackney stallions have been mainly used in the 
more eastern states. Mr. Henry Fairfa.x of Virginia has used 
Hackney stallions on common farm mares with much success, 
and grades of this breeding have been successfully exhibited. 
Some years ago the late John A. Logan, Jr., had an extensive 
Hackney stud at Youngstown, Ohio, where he had about fifty 



THE HACKNEY 7 1 

racing mares. He selected twenty-five as near types of their 
respective families as possible, including two Thoroughbreds, and 
bred to them a Hackney stallion, from which he obtained twenty- 
three live foals. This Hackney stallion also was bred to about 
thirty other mares in the vicinity, including several grade Per- 
cherons, two Clydesdales, and the balance mainly ordinary farm 
work mares. From fifty-six mares fifty-two live foals were 
obtained, not one of which was blemished or crooked. Says 
Mr. Logan : " Every colt I have ever seen (and I think I have 
seen them all) has a wonderfully short back, round well-developed 
quarters, short flat legs, with a great amount of bone and sub- 
stance. A stranger can pick them out from any number of others 
of different breeds almost at a glance." The result of this cross 
gave the greatest satisfaction, producing horses with substance, 
style, finish, and a high-class carriage gait. 

The distribution of the Hackney is more widespread than that 
of any other coach-horse breed. It is generally found in the east- 
ern and north central United States, Pennsylvania, New York, 
Massachusetts, and Illinois being breeding centers. It is also 
found almost all over the world. In 1903 horses were exported 
from England to Africa, Australia, Belgium, Argentine, Canada, 
Denmark, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, 
Spain, and the United States. 

The English Hackney Horse Society was established in 1883, 
and published the first volume of its studbook in 1884. Up to 
1905 this society has published twenty-two studbooks and has 
registered 9076 stallions and 17,074 mares. 

The American Hackney Horse Society was organized in 1891, 
and Volume I of the studbook appeared in 1893. Since then, 
up to 1905, but one other volume has been issued. 



CHAPTER XI 

THE FREx\CH COACH 

Early French horse history. The horse has been known in 
France since prehistoric times, and the remains of horses have 
been found in the eastern part of the country in large numbers. 
These were associated with the Stone Age. Just when the horse 
first became domesticated in France is unknown. He may have 
been used in a measure by the early people of the country, both 
for food and labor. Several hundred years prior to the time of 
Christ horses were used in Gaul for military purposes. 

Horse racing in France dates back several centuries. It is said 
that racing was practiced in i 323 under Charles le Bel and even 
earlier. Systematic attempts to improve the racing horse began 
during the reign of Louis XIV, in the latter part of the seven- 
teenth century. Colbert, one of the ministers of Louis XIV, 
founded the "Administration des Haras." ^ During these early 
days more or less horse racing was engaged in, but in no 
persistent form. Between 1775 and 1790 French horses were 
taken to England and raced on the turf by French owners. The 
French saw the merit of the English Thoroughbred, and along 
in this period they began to buy and send them to France for 
both breeding and racing purposes. Several of the sires taken 
to France in and about i '/■]6 became famous, as, for example, 
Comus by Otho, Glowworm, by Eclij^se, King Pepin by Turf, 
and Pyrois by Matchem. Some marcs were also taken across 
the Channel. 

Very early in the nineteenth century Napoleon the Great 
undertook to promote the development of the horse, though he 
had in view the army service as well as use on the turf. 

The French Jockey Club was organized in 1833, and with it 
came the first real influential development of the light horse in 

1 Administration of Studs. 



THE frp:nch coach 



73 



France. This club was aristocratic, wealthy, and influential, and 
began to promote racing and breeding. Since that time the gov- 
ernment haras, the Jockey Club, and horse-breeding societies have 
done much to improve the horse of France. 

Origin of the French Coach horse. The term " French Coach " 
is an American one, there being no breed of that name in France. 
The type of horse that we know by this name in America is termed 
Demi-Sang in France, meaning half-blood. These horses when 
descended from Eng- 
lish sires and mares 
of Normandy have 
been called Anglo- 
Normans and are often 
referred to as such. 

Besides the Thor- 
oughbred, there were 
introduced into France 
Hackneys and Nor- 
folk trotters from 
England and Arabs 
and other horses from 
the Orient. Descend- 
ants of the great 
Hackney stallion 
Phenomenon were 
taken to F'rance and 
used in the studs with 
much benefit. Evi- 
dence before the Irish 
Commissioners of Horse Breeding showed that during the last 
quarter of the past century from twenty to thirty Hackney stal- 
lions a year were bought in England for the French haras, on 
government orders. These, however, have not as a rule gone 
into those sections drawn upon for carriage horses for the 
American trade. 

The leading source of French Coach stock has been in a famous 
horse region in a district west of Paris, extending to the seashore, 
notably in the counties or departments of Calvados, Orne, and 




Fig. 25. Apropo-s 3445, a French Coach stallion im- 
ported by McLaughlin Bros., Columbus, Ohio, in 
1903. Grand champion at American Royal at 
Kansas City in 1904, and at International Live 
Stock E.xposition, Chicago, in 1905. Photograph 
by author 



74 



rill-; iioKsi-:, ass, and mule 




La Manche, in that section of France known as Normandy. Here 
was early felt the influence of the race course, and it was found 
that by using English sires to the Normandy mares a certain 
degree of coarseness and plainness was removed, while there was 
an increase in speed and quality. There was much experimental 

breeding, resulting in con- 
siderable variation in the 
beginning. English horses 
were used to a consider- 
able extent in the early 
development, but since 
1840 French-bred horses 
have been used almost 
exclusively. 

The coach or carriage 
horse of France is derived 
from trotter stock. The 
purpose of breeding fast 
horses, capable of per- 
forming hard work, was 
clearly in the minds of the 
French people. The pedigrees of the best of French Coach horses 
trace back through lines of descent into the blood of English 
Thoroughbreds, Hackney and Norfolk trotters, Arabs, etc. For 
example, the stallion Niger, foaled in 1869, had Norfolk Phe- 
nomenon for sire and Miss Bell, a half-blood American mare, for 
dam. He was used in the national haras and became a very 
famous sire. The stallion Tigris is three generations removed 
from the English Thoroughbred, The Heir of Linne, imported 
to the national haras at Tarbes, in 1859, a stallion that made 
a strong impression on the Demi-Sang. Another interesting 
phase of the influence of foreign blood is shown in the stallion 
Aemulus, foaled in 1871, sired by Mambrino Pilot and out of 
Black Bess. He was a prize winner on the American turf between 
1876 and 1880, but was taken to PVance in 1881 and placed in 
the haras of Colaincourt (Aisne), where he rendered good service. 
Aemulus was a combination of Mambrino blood on the sire's side 
and Morgan on the dam's. Conquerant, foaled in 1858, another 



Fig. 26. Harley, a prominent French Coach 
sire in service in France. Photograph by 
James B. McLaughlin, Columbus, Ohio 



THE FRENCH COACH 



75 



famous Demi-Sang stallion that proved to be a remarkable breeder, 
being in service at the national haras at Le Pin from 1862 to 
1880, had Thoroughbred blood on both sire and dam sides four 
generations back. The famous stallion Indre 385, imported by the 
late M. W. Dunham, foaled in 1886 and still alive in 1905, was 
a grandson of The Heir of Linne on the sire's side and great- 
grandson of Conquerant on the dam's side. The stallion Young 
Rattler, bred in England but in service in Normandy from 1820 
to 1834, proved to have a most important influence on the French 
turf. These examples suffice to show the influence of foreign 
horses on the mares of France in developing the Demi-Sang. In 
recent years it is claimed that the breeding has been restricted 
to French blood entirely. 

Methods of the French to promote horse improvement. It is 
appropriate to give here in some detail the methods employed in 
France to improve the horse, these applying to the Percheron, dis- 
cussed elsewhere, as well 
as to the French Coach. 

Beginning with the 
Administration des Haras 
in the latter part of the 
seventeenth century, the 
French government has, 
in a more or less degree, 
continuously promoted 
horse improvement. In 
1690 by government 
decree there were 1600 
stallions classed as either 
royal or approved. In 
I 714 Louis XV estab- 
lished a government stud, 
or haras, at Le Pin, which 
has since been the leading one of France, and where also an 
equine school has been maintained. In 1775 a stud with twelve 
sub-studs was established at Pompadour, this being under govern- 
ment control. In 1789 there were 3239 approved and govern- 
ment stallions in France, which served about 115,000 marcs. 




Fig. 27. Radziwill, a famous French Coach 
stalHon, purchased by the French govern- 
ment for 25,000 francs ; under examination 
by a juror at Caen. Photograph by James 
B. McLaughlin 



76 



THl': HORSE, ASS, ANT) MULE 



I 



During the first part of the nineteenth century the government 
purchased many stalHons for the haras. F"rom 1815 to 1833 
there were bought 1902 stalUons, of which 223 came from Arabia 
and other foreign countries, 853 from the northern departments 
of France, and 826 were selections from the government studs. 
In 1833 a royal decree established a studbook for the preserva- 
tion of pedigrees. This was designated The French Studbook : 
A Register of Deini-Saiig Horses, Born and Imported into 
France} the first volume of which was published in 1891, com- 
prising 3219 stallions and 1445 mares registered between 1840 

and 1890. 

On May 5, 1870, the 
management of the gov- 
ernment haras was given 
to the Department of 
Agriculture and Com- 
merce. These were placed 
in charge of a director 
general, eight inspectors, 
twenty-six sub-directors, 
ten superintendents, and 
twenty-six veterinari- 
ans. To hold one of these 
offices one must be a grad- 



k 






Hffl 


biUi 


rtaSl 




1 .-i' 






llllltK 


pMsv. , ,^.*) sm 




E 


i 



Fig. 28. A view of the Equine School at Le Pin, 
France. Photograph by James B. McLaugh- 
lin, Columbus, Ohio 



uate of the equine school 
at Le Pin. 

In 1 874 the government issued an order to increase the stallions 
in France by 200 per year until the total number should reach 
2500. The Chamber of Deputies appropriated 1,500,000 francs 
($300,000) for prizes for breeding animals, and 50,000 francs 
($10,000) to experiment with the Arab and Anglo- Arab, using 
60 superior mares at the haras of Pompadour. 

Classes of breeding stallions in France. In order to promote 
intelligent breeding and a superior stock of horses in France, the 
government made three different classes of stallions, both coach 
and draft : First, stallions owned in the government haras. 

' Stud-Book Fraiictiis : Kegistre des Chevanx de Dcmi-Saiig, Tome I, Paris, 
1891. 



THE FRENCH COACH 



n 



Second, approved or subsidized stallions, such as are owned by 
private parties. Upon inspection by government experts, those 
of the second class that are found of sufficient merit are given 
government apj:)rovaI. The owners of such horses are allowed 
from 300 to 5000 francs bonus (S60 to $1000) from the Minister 
of Agriculture for the year for which this approval stands, during 
which time the horses are to be used on the mares of the com- 
munity in which they are located. Third, authorized stallions. 
These by official inspection are pronounced of good quality and 
worthy of public patronage. Since 1885 the French law has 
prohibited from public 
service stallions not com- 
ing up to this standard. 

According to official 
statement in 1903,^ there 
were owned in P" ranee by 
private proprietors, 1476 
approved and 265 author- 
ized stallions. Of the 
approved, 522 proprietors 
owned one stallion each ; 
167, two; 74, three; and 
29, four ; while 208 owned 
one authorized stallion each. 

Characteristics of the French Coach. This breed really pre- 
sents some variation in type. The larger, smoother sort brought 
to America is what we know as the coacher. These generally 
average about 16 hands high, and American trade prefers this 
height for stallions and geldings of maturity. Mares will stand 
from 15 to 16 hands. In a list of 22 stalhons before the writer 
the average weight in sale flesh is 1396 pounds, the lightest 
weight being 1300 and the heaviest 1475. For stallions in fair 
condition 1350 may be regarded as an acceptable weight, with 
mares at 1200 pounds. There is also a smaller, more cobby type 
of coacher, or French trotter, that is not so commonly brought to 
America, yet is highly valued by the French for its speed quality. 

1 Rapport de I'inspecteur general directeur des haras a M. !e ministre de 
I'agriculture sur la gestion de I'administration des haras en 1903. 




Fig. 29. A view of the stable at the Equine 
School, Le Pin, France. Photograph by 
James B. McLaughlin, Columbus, Ohio 



7^ 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



There is not a great variation in c(jlor, bay, in varying shades, and 
brown, being most common. Of 147 stallions and mares owned 
by two of the leading dealers in the United States there were 
90 bays or brown bays, 29 browns, 17 blacks, and 1 1 chestnuts. 
The French Coach is characterized by very good length of body, 
with a long, somewhat arching neck and a long, wide, level croup. 
The trot of this breed is long and powerful, rather than high and 
trappy like the Hackney. The French have sought strong bone 
and excellent feet and great speed for a heavy type of trotter. 

The French race track, which is either two and one half or 
two miles lorg, is over a course of turf. The sod track causes 

a high knee action and 
long stride as well as a 
strong, well-flexed hock 
movement. 

Speed records of French 
Coachers. As might natu- 
rally be supposed, the use 
of stallions from high-class 
speed ancestry on French 
mares produced fast trot- 
ters. The horses of 
France, however, have 
never made as fast time 
as those of America. In 
1873 Niger trotted 2\ 
miles in 6.55, while up to 
1877 the fastest record was by Pactole, who made 2^ miles in 6.38. 
In 1 89 1 there were 1 399 contestants in races, 3 1 2 of which trotted 
races from 2 to 3f miles at less than 3 minutes per mile, 137 
under 2.50, 112 under 2.45, and 62 under 2.40. 

The size and strength of this horse enable him to go con- 
siderable distances at comparatively great speed. In 1875, at 
Toulouse, Zethus, under saddle, trotted I2i miles in 37 minutes 
21 seconds, and in another trial at Caen trotted the same dis- 
tance in 37 minutes 19 seconds. In 1877 the mare Zacinthe 
trotted 185 miles on an ordinary road in 59 minutes, defeating 
Zethus, then fourteen years old. 



. \ 


ti'- ■ -'^iStt 


' 


1^ 


^:.^ 




mm 


^ 


^wl 




m 


1 


m^ 


^k. 


^ 


■ M 



Fig. 30. A u\>\ pii/i- lieiii li (/oacli mil at a 
show in France. Photograph by James B. 
McLaughlin 



THE FRENCH COACH 



79 



The preceding records speak well for the speed capacity of 
the h'rcnch Coach horse. 

Distribution and adaptation. This breed has been rather 
extensively distributed over Europe and the United States, 
although it is not generally bred outside of Normandy in 
France. In the United States it is fairly well known east of the 
Mississippi and north of the Ohio, The best-known breeding 
and importing studs are in Ohio and Illinois. The late Mark W. 
Dunham of Wayne, Illinois, and Powell Bros, of Springboro, 
Pennsylvania, were the most important breeders and importers in 




Fig. 31. A French Coach stallion i8 years of age. A fine example of vigor 
and breed character. Photograph taken in France by the author 



this country for years. More coach horses of this breed are being 
brought to the United States than of any other kind, unless the 
Hackney be excepted. 

French Coach horses seem to thrive very well in the Atlantic 
seaboard states and in the upper Mississippi Valley. There are 
but very few breeding studs. In the main stallions are imported 
and are then used for breeding on the larger type of light driving 
mares of common stock, to produce coachers for the city market. 
When there is a harmonious mating with American trotting- 
bred stock, a superior class of carriage horse is developed. 



8o THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

The grade or half-bred French Coach horse, the result of pure- 
bred sires on American-bred mares, is comparatively little known. 
In some localities very excellent carriage horses have come from 
French Coach sires on mares of trotting-blood ancestry, while in 
other regions the cross has not been satisfactory. The Hamlins 
of Buffalo, New York, sent twelve trotting-bred mares from 
Village Farm to Oaklawn, the stud of the late M. W. Dunham, 
to be bred to French Coach sires. They were retained for two 
years at Oaklawn, and the half-bred colts met with considerable 
favorable comment. One of the half-bred stallions was placed 
in the imperial stud of Japan. Another became prominent as a 
saddle horse. Cogent, got by Mambrino King out of a French 
Coach mare, was not only a sire of some distinction, but also 
won numerous prizes as a heavy harness horse. Mr. J. S. San- 
born of Boston, on his Maine farm, mated French Coach stallions 
to trotting mares and produced some very choice harness horses. 
In a communication to the Breeders Gazette, Messrs. Dunham, 
Fletcher & Coleman write : 

A few years ago a shipment of half and three-quarter bred French Coach 
mares and geldings, matched and finished for the trade, was made from 
Iowa to New York, where the animals were sold at highly renumerative 
prices, as high as $3000 a pair being paid. Carriage horses of exactly the 
same and still higher breeding have been shipped continuously from the 
same districts in the Hawkeye state ever since, with equally or still more 
profitable results. 

American studbook. There are two societies in the United 
States for French Coach horses, viz. The French Coach Horse 
Society with present headquarters at Chicago, Illinois, and the 
French Coach Registry Company with headquarters at Columbus, 
Ohio. The former was organized in 1885, and published its first 
studbook in 1906. The French Coach Registry Company was 
organized in 1904, and also published Volume I of its studbook 
in 1906. 



CHAPTER XII 

THE GERMAN COACH 

The history of the German Coach horse is hardly clear to 
American students. Nearly all the evidence we have regarding 
it is found in live-stock and agricultural journals, which in the 
main consists of contributions from partisans of the breed. In the 
United States carriage or coach horses from Germany have been 
advertised as Hanoverian, Oldenburg, and German Coach. 

The home of horse breeding in Germany has long been recog- 
nized as especially located in the northwestern section, in the 
rich lowlands drained by the rivers Elbe, Weser, and Ems, all of 
which flow into the North Sea. Here was originally found the 
great draft horse of northern Europe, and here to-day the coach 
horse is bred, especially in the states of Hanover, Oldenburg, 
and Schlcswig-Holstcin, and in the district of East Friesland. 

Early records of horse breeding in Germany go back nearly 
five centuries. We are told that early in 1500 important annual 
fairs were held in Friesland near the Holland boundary, where 
buyers from Holland, Belgium, and Germany found superior 
horses. From 1628 to 1648 the stables of Count Ulrich II con- 
tained numerous stallions of high repute. A government stud 
was established at Ilo, which contained 182 horses in 1648. In 
1658 Count Enno Ludwig sent the Emperor Leopold a number 
of beautiful and valuable horses. In 1 708 Prince George Albrecht 
prepared a catalogue of his stud, which contained horses from 
the prominent horse countries of the world, including Turkey, 
Poland, Hungary, Transylvania, Denmark, England, and even 
Iceland. This shows the mixed character of the early German 
horse stock. At Harlingerland, in East Friesland, government 
studs were in operation and reports refer to these as far back as 
17 12, when 16 stallions were used here for service on 819 mares. 
In 1 889, in this same region, i 5 stallions were used on 142 1 mares. 

81 



82 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

Government supervision of horse breeding in Germany has 

obtained for centuries. The use of staUions on the marcs of I'2ast 
Friesland was regulated by royal edict for many years. Finally 
more liberality was permitted in the use of stallions, but govern- 
ment supervision, much as in Belgium, was the rule. It was made 
a law that no permits should be issued authorizing the use of 
stallions, unless they passed a satisfactory government inspection. 
At the present time both the government and agricultural societies 
promote intelligent horse breeding. Prizes are awarded for ani- 
mals of special merit, and such animals must remain in the country 
for a specified term. First prizes are awarded only to mature 
horses and mares that have shown merit as breeders. Stallion 
shows have long been held at Aurich, in East Friesland, where 
the horses are brought annually for inspection and approval. 
Prizes for brood mares are also awarded by the government. 

The type of German Coach horse, as seen in America, possesses 
some considerable variation. In 1893, at the World's Columbian 
Exposition at Chicago, an exhibit of over eighty German Coach 
horses was made, including special exhibits from Germany made 
by the Oldenburg Agricultural Society, the Hanoverian Agri- 
cultural Society of central (jcrmany, and the F!ast Friesland 
Head Agricultural Society. There was some considerable varia- 
tion in the types shown, and following the awards by German 
judges came pronounced objection and dissatisfaction. This 
resulted in an editorial statement on the German Coach type, 
which appeared in the Breeders'' Gazette and was authorized by the 
German judges. This statement is of importance to American 
students, and so is given here : 

The visiting; Cierman horsemen make the following claims concernincj the 
light types of horses. Four types of light-legged horses are recognized, and 
each now has its separate studbook. The Trakehner is the lightest of all 
and is a carriage and saddle horse, not a heavy coacher. Th&Holsiein and 
Hanoverian horses are about the same type, but the Hanoverians are more 
used for saddle horses and the Holsteins for carriage horses. This difference 
in use implies somewhat of a difference in action. The Oldenburg is the 
heaviest type, and these horses are used for heavy coach ^vork, such as state 
coaches, and as farm or all-purpose horses, and are not put under saddle. 
Then there are the East Friesland horses, which are practically Oldenburgs, 
as they are bred from Oldenburg sires. It is claimed that these distinctions 
are actual rather than artificial. 



THE GERMAN COACH 



83 



The history of the German Coach horse in America is a com- 
paratively brief one. These horses were first brought to the 
United States along in the eighties. Not much prior to 1890 did 
the breed receive recognition at American shows. A. B. Holbert, 
of Greeley, Iowa, was one of the earliest introducers of the breed. 
The Oltmann Bros, of Illinois and Crouch & Son of Indiana 




Fig. 32. Hannibal, a German Coach stallion imported by Crouch & Son, 
La Fayette, Indiana. It is doubtful if a better specimen of the breed 
has been shown in America. A prize winner of the highest rank at 
many shows. Photograph by the author 



have also been most actively and prominently identified with its 
promotion during its career in the United States. Its distribution 
began in Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa, was extended to California, 
and is now being projected over still wider fields, the South and 
general West being included. 

The German Coach horse organization in America began in 
1892 with the incorporation, under the laws of Illinois, of the 
German, Hanoverian, and Oldenburg Coach Horse Association. 



84 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

Very soon after the organization of this association came the 
Oldenburg Coach Horse Association, which was also incorporated 
in Illinois. Both of these organizations still exist, though just 
why they should is not clear. So far as the American public is 
aware, the various coach horses brought to America from Ger- 
many are exhibited here as the German Coach breed, whether 
Oldenburg, Hanoverian, or otherwise. Leading importers who 
advertise, designate their horses as " Oldenburg, German Coach," 
or "German, Hanoverian, and Oldenburg Coach." This differ- 
ence of title may be accounted for in part by the variety of type. 
This apparent confusion of names in America, the advocates of the 
breed or breeds would do well to clarify in some permanent way. 

Characteristics of the German Coach horse. In height the 
breed ranges from i6 to 16^ hands, and in weight from 1350 to 
1450 pounds. The color does not vary greatly, being almost exclu- 
sively bay, brown, or black. The head is fairly typical of the 
coachers, the neck being long and arched, the shoulders well 
placed, and the withers prominent. The body of the German 
Coach is somewhat larger than that of the French Coach, and the 
croup is high and the tail well placed. The legs show considerable 
length compared with the Hackney, while the feet are excellent. 
On the basis of many specimens brought to this country, seen 
by the writer, the German Coach varies materially in size and 
quality. Coarseness is not uncommon, as seen in large heads 
and joints with more or less largeness of bone. In action there 
is a wide difference of merit, and, from the coach-horse point of 
view, frequent deficiency. A superior folding of knee and flexing 
of hock, with desirable activity, is not a prevailing attribute of 
American specimens of the breed. This contrast in style and 
action will be clearly brought out by visiting both German Coach 
and Hackney stables, and studying the movements of numerous 
horses of each breed. 

Cross-bred or grade German Coach horses are now becoming 
more common than formerly in this country. Some of these, 
the product from American mares, aire very good, while others 
lack quality and finish. When used on coarse mares a stallion 
of the breed will not be likely to produce satisfactory offspring. 
Used on the finer sort of mare of trotting ancestry better returns 



THE GERMAN COACH 85 

may be expected. One prominent importer, who is seeking to 
introduce the breed in the South, says in the Breeders' Gazette : 
" We are advising our southern friends to cross their small 
mares on the German Coach stalHon, which weighs from 1 300 to 
1400 pounds, and the progeny of this cross will be a good, strong 
serviceable horse that will do their work in the fields, can be 
used on the roads, and is a marketable horse in every respect." 

German Coach horses of importance are not as yet known in 
America in large numbers. Among the earlier imported Moltke 
1 3, Kaiser Wilhelm 494, Young Altona I 458, and Young Adonis 
476 met with favorable comment, the latter being a successful 
prize winner in California in 189 1. In the central West the 
horses Bertus, brought out by Oltmann Bros., and Euto and 
Hannibal, by Crouch & Son, have been distinguished specimens 
of the breed in the show ring, winning against the severest 
competitif)n for years in succession. 

German Coach mares have not as yet been brought to America 
on any scale of importance, and there has been no breeding stud 
that has gained prominence. A very great percentage of the 
offspring of the stallions must be grades, the product of native 
mares. 

The distribution of German Coach horses is very widespread. 
They may be found in various European countries, in South 
America, South Africa, and quite widely over the United States 
and the Canadian Northwest. For years the most prominent 
importers, exhibitors, and promoters of the breed have had head- 
quarters in Indiana and Illinois. 

A German Coach horse studbook of " the German, Hanoverian, 
and Oldenburg Coach Horse," containing pedigrees of registered 
stallions and mares imported or raised in America, has been 
published by the association bearing this title. Two volumes 
have been issued up to 1906. They contain the registration of 
about eighteen hundred animals, mostly stallions. 



CHAPTER XIII 
THE CLEVELAND BAY 

The native home of the Cleveland Bay horse is in northeastern 
England, in the county of York. It is also said that a similar 
type formerly existed in Devon in south England. The breed, as 
now known, has its breeding center in the counties of Durham, 
Northumberland, and especially York, and it is in the latter 
county, among the Cleveland Hills, in North and East Riding, it 
has been found in its greatest purity. York is a rolling or slightly 
hilly country, with rougher land up in Northumberland. Superior 
pastures cover these hills and make ideal conditions for producing 
coach horses of the Cleveland Bay sort. 

The origin of the Cleveland Bay is very obscure. Formerly it 
was known as the Chapman or pack horse, the name Cleveland 
Bay being a modern one. Some have assumed that the breed is 
descended from Roman days in Britain, and comes from the 
union of Oriental horses and English stock. Others have attrib- 
uted the breed to the use of Thoroughbreds on British cart- 
horse mares, which no doubt is quite within the facts. This 
theory has been resented by some Cleveland Bay authorities 
who wish to show a pure ancestry. The use of Scandinavian 
horse blood has also been suggested, thus accounting for the black 
points in the Cleveland. Another eminent authority offers the 
theory that this breed has been gradually developed from the 
native horses in southern England, with possibly some help in 
early times from Oriental or Thoroughbred blood. 

In spite of these various theories nothing definite is known 
on the subject. The mares of Cleveland were, no doubt, crossed 
more or less with Thoroughbred or other blood, and plenty of 
evidence exists to show that in early times, at least, the breed 
was not of absolute purity. This criticism however will apply 
to most other breeds as well. 

cS6 



THE CLEVELAND BAY 87 

The early purpose of the Cleveland Bay is universally recog- 
nized as agricultural or general utility. In 1823 a writer in the 
Fanner s ]\Iao;azinc made this statement : 

The original breed of the country was neither blood nor black, that is, a 
distinct race from the English blood horse, and equally distinct from the 
black or cart breed of the country. It was the basis of the breed of the old 
London coach horse when heavier cattle were used for these conveyances ; 
and after it became the fashion to adopt a lighter horse for carriages, this 
valuable breed was allowed to become almost extinct until their excellence 
for agricultural purposes was noticed by some practical farmers in the north 
of England, who for several years have been exerting themselves to revive 
the breed. 

The purity of the Cleveland Bay as a breed has been the sub- 
ject of much controversy. For nearly a century supply and 
demand has affected the welfare of this horse. The preceding 
reference, written in 1823, indicates that. In 1849 George Legard, 
in \\iQ. Journal of tJie Royal Agricultural Society, contributed still 
other evidence in the same line : 

Formerly a large, powerfully boned animal was required for carnage 
purposes. The fashion of the present day has, however, changed in this 
particular, and now it is necessary that the London carriage horses should 
be at least three parts Thoroughbred. Consequently all traces of the orig- 
inal pure coaching breed, or Cleveland Bay, as it was termed, are nearly 
obliterated. 

Marshall, himself a native of Yorkshire and a famous agri- 
cultural writer of a century ago, deplored the use of the Thor- 
oughbred as spoiling the Cleveland. The breed was of great 
endurance, and the mares bred to Thoroughbreds produced 
Hunters of superior merit and power. 

When the fields of Yorkshire became more subject to tillage, 
and when the mines and city drayage began to require heavy 
horses, then the lighter Cleveland type became unpopular, and the 
cart horse, the Clydesdale and Shire, came into prominence. The 
heavy horse brought the most money, and so the Cleveland Bay 
fell into disfav'Or and was neglected. 

From 185 I to 1867 the breed was in considerable favor, after 
which came a decline in its popularity. In 1884 the Cleveland 
Bay Horse Society was organized in Yorkshire, to promote its 



88 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



jxirity and to put the breed in proper relation to the pubHc. 
h^ven this, however, did not give such impetus to its develop- 
ment as might have been anticipated. At the 1885 show of the 
Royal Agricultural Society, held in the county of York right 
where the breed is supposed to be strongest, but one entry of a 
Cleveland Bay was made, a mare and foal. At the 1900 exhibit 
of the Royal Society, again held at York, a very good show of 
Clevelands was made, forty-one head being entered. Since then 




V\r,. 33. Special Delight. Champion Cleveland Bay stallion at the Royal 
Agricultural Society Show of England, 1904. Photograph from William 
Cooper & Nephews, Berkamsted, England 



some quite creditable exhibits have been made at various Eng- 
lish shows. This indicates some progress, still the breed cannot 
to-day be regarded as common in England. 

The Cleveland Bay in America must be regarded almost in the 
light of a failure. Along in the eighties quite a number were 
imported, and in 1885 the Cleveland Bay Horse Society of 
America was organized at Chicago. At one time Stericker 
Bros., then of Springfield, Illinois, had a large stud of this 



THE CLEVELAND BAY 89 

breed and made most attractive exhibits. The people of the 
United States, however, have never been favorably impressed 
in a large way, consequently Cleveland Bay interests have mainly 
died out. Specimens of Cleveland Bays are now almost unknown 
in our horse shows. In 1900 the class for Cleveland Bays at 
the Illinois State Fair was discontinued, yet Illinois but a few 
years before had the principal stud of this breed in America. 
Neither is there any breeder prominently advocating the merits 
of the breed, and importations are rarely made. 

Cleveland Bay characteristics need but a brief consideration 
here. The color is always bay, either light or dark, with black 
legs, mane, and tail. White is not permissible, except a small 
star in the forehead or few white hairs on the heel. More white, 
the breeders say, indicates foreign blood. The color may be dap- 
pled, and dark bars may occasionally be seen on the lower arm 
or possibly above the hock. The height ranges from 16^ to i6| 
hands, and the weight from 1200 to 1550 pounds. A pure-bred 
mare, Jessica 214, owned by the Ohio State University, weighs 
about 1350 pounds in moderate flesh. The stallion Lord Derby 
231 (740), a first-prize winner at the Yorkshire show, and 
imported by Galbraith Brothers, weighed about 1550 pounds. 
The body of the Cleveland Bay is of the larger coach type with 
long sloping shoulder and high, broad croup. The Jiead has been 
regarded as lacking in refinement, while the limbs have not as 
much quality as the best market demands. In action the move- 
ment is strong and powerful, but not stylish. The breed is per- 
haps the largest of the coach type, and lacks somewhat the quality 
of the prominent coach breeds. William Scarth Dixon, one of the 
best English authorities on the breed, writing in 1902, says : 

The Cleveland Bay is distinguished for his size, the pecuHar quality and 
amount of his bone, and for his general symmetry. Color is indispensable. 
..." What we want is more quality," say breeders and dealers alike. 
Admitted, but at the same time I must point out tliat quality is a very elastic 
term ; that there is a so-called quality which is certainly of a very mere- 
tricious character, for it tends to eliminate from a breed its most valuable 
characteristics. And it must be urged, even to the point of tediousness, that 
as the quality of the Shire horse is different from the Thoroughbred, so in 
character does the quality of the Cleveland Bay differ from the quality of 
the Yorkshire Coach horse. 



90 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

A number of Cleveland Bays which the author has known 
have been characterized by none too gentle a disposition. 

Cleveland Bays as roadsters are very capable, and in fact 
always have had fame in England for this quality. Cases have 
been known where the Cleveland Bay has traveled from sixty to 
seventy miles within twenty-four hours, with heavy loads, three 
or four times a week, besides being employed occasionally on 
intermediate days. Hodgson, in ?i Jounial of tlic Royal Agricul- 
tural Society says : 

I knew a Cleveland mare that carried a man seventy miles a day for a 
week together. Tommy Miles, of Harlsey, near Northallerton, rode his 
Cleveland mare to York for a week together, to have his name called over 
in court as a juryman ; he was in York by nine o'clock every morning 
(thirty-five miles), and slept in his own bed at Harlsey (thirty-five miles) 
every night. 

Half-bred or grade Cleveland Bays have not met with favor in 
America, though the writer has seen some excellent specimens 
of the latter in active service as general purpose horses of the 
lighter type. These had plenty of stamina and were of fair 
quality. Half-breds in England, resulting from breeding Thor- 
oughbreds to Cleveland mares or half-bred mares, made very 
superior Hunters. A medium-sized or small Thoroughbred stal- 
lion on short legs bred to a Cleveland mare of substance was a 
favorite cross many years ago in Yorkshire, producing a Hunting 
horse exactly suited to the needs then, as no doubt it is now. 

Cleveland Bay studbooks have been published in both Eng- 
land and the United States. Two volumes have been issued in 
this country up to 1905, Volume H dated 1891. These contain 
registrations of 762 stallions and 192 mares. The studbook 
directs attention to the fact that with the pure Cleveland of 
merit the ancestry will go back to one or more of the three 
families, ■ — descendants of Dart (83), The Hob Horse (316), and 
Barley Harvest (447). 

The distribution of the Cleveland Bay is rather widespread, 
they having been exported to various jxu'ts of the world, includ- 
ing Sweden, Canada, United States, South Africa, Australia, and 
South America. At the present time a large share of those 
exported go to South Africa. 



THE CLEVELAND BAY 



91 



The Yorkshire Coach horse bears a peculiar relationship to 
the Cleveland Bay, and calls for some consideration at this 
point. In England there is a Yorkshire Coach Horse Society in 
addition to the Cleveland Society, and horses of each kind are 
registered separately. In America, however, Yorkshire Coach 
horses and Cleveland Bays are regarded as one breed and are 
registered in the Cleveland Bay Studbook of North America. 
The Yorkshire Coach horse is of more recent development 
than the Cleveland, and has been designated as an improved 
Cleveland. It tends to be smaller in size, is more coachy in 
action, and has perhaps more quality. The improved quality 
is due to Thoroughbred blood. In the YorksJiire Coach Horse 
Studbook of England, published in 1887, is the following ofificial 
statement of "The Origin and Characteristics of the Yorkshire 
Coach Horse." 

It cannot be claimed for the Yorkshire Coach horse that he is a pure- 
bred animal, but that, on the contrary, by the judicious crossing of large- 
sized, good-colored mares with stallions altogether or nearly Thoroughbred 
a class of horses has been produced suited to the wants and circumstances 
of the times. By universal consent the color should be bay or brown, with 
black eyes, mane and tail abundant but not curly, the height from 16 hands 
to 16 hands 2 inches, with fine head, sloping shoulders, strong loins, and 
lengthy quarters, high-stepping action, good sound feet, flat legs, and 
abundance of bone and muscle. 



CHAPTER XIV 

THE DRAFT TYPE 

The general conformation of the draft horse involves a massive 
form, a compact ;in(l bUjcky body, and a comparative shortness 
and strength of Hmb, the whole being in harmonious proportion. 
Weight is a most important consideration, for a true draft horse 
must weigh heavy compared with the lighter type. A draft horse 
in fair condition at maturity may weigh anywhere from 1 500 
to 2000 or more pounds. Grouped into classes, the light draft 
horse may weigh usually from 1500 to 1600 pounds, the medium 
from 1600 to 1700, and the heavy from 1700 up. The greater 
the weight, as a rule, the higher the price paid for the superior 
specimen of the type. An increase of twenty-five cents for each 
additional pound of weight has been given as representing this 
growth in value. In order to pull heavy loads the draft horse 
must possess plenty of weight. It becomes very evident that 
the heavy horse in harness brings greater power into the collar 
than does the light one. The heigJit is not so material, provided 
there is the necessary weight. Draft horses usually stand from 
16 to \'j\ hands, though occasional exceptions occur. The light 
draft represents the lesser height, and as the weight increases 
the height may also bear a relationship to it. Quality and sub- 
stance, as shown in hair, bone, and joints, should be preeminent 
with this horse. The hair should be fine and silky, even if long, 
and the bone smooth and attractive, with neatly turned joints, 
the lower limbs being generally free from all superfluous fleshi- 
ness. Coarse joints are usually associated with coarse and poor 
bone and feet, and often with a coarse and undesirable head. The 
long hair on the leg of the Clydesdale or Shire is indicative of qual- 
ity, fine silky hair being associated with superior bone and feet. 

The action of the draft horse should be true and bold. As the 
horse comes toward one or goes from him the line of movement 

92 



THE DRAFT TYPE 



93 



of the limbs should be true, the feet being carried straight away, 
with no so-called paddling or irregularity of gait. The feet should 
be picked up with snap, whether at walk or trot, and carried clear 
of the ground, showing the sole of the foot clearly in the move- 
ment. High knee action is not essential, but a strong, full, true 
movement of both knee and hock, without dragging or stiffness. 




Fig. 34. A champion Clydesdale stallion owned Ijy Galbiaiih & Son, show- 
ing draft weight and conformation. Photograph from McLay Bros. 



is very important. The draft horse should have an active walk, 
for the value of a fast walker considerably exceeds that of the 
sluggish type. In the sale or show ring high-class action with 
a draft horse adds materially to the selling or show value, no 
matter what the breed. A free and easy movement of knee and 
hock is essential to high-class action. In connection with good 
action the head and neck should be carried high, with style and 
body action. 



94 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

The head should be lean, not out of j^roportion with the body, 
hav^e plenty of breadth between the eyes, which should be reason- 
ably prominent and bright. The nose and muzzle should be broad 
yet not coarse, with nostrils of ample size for easy breathing. 
Nicely matched lips and strong cheeks and lower jaws help to 
make a strong head with character. The head should be crowned 
with fine ears of medium size gracefully placed and carried. 

The iicck of the draft horse is strong and muscular, supporting 
the head cleanly and gracefully, and being joined smoothly and 
deeply at the body. Some arch to the neck is desirable ; this 
should appear in a very small degree with mares and geldings, 
yet enough to suggest power. 

The shoulders should not be as long and sloping as with a 
light driver, but more upright, being well set into the back, a 
happy medium between the straight and sloping shoulder giving 
the best power and movement for the draft horse. Too straight 
a shoulder promotes excessive concussion and bone trouble of 
the limbs and feet. Smoothness of shoulder is essential, for 
roughness and prominence will be sure to involve soreness and 
trouble from fit of collar. 

The cJiest should be full and deep, indicating large capacity 
of the vital organs. Narrowness behind the shoulders is quite 
common, and indicates defective constitution. Too much thick- 
ness of chest, an unusual occurrence, may cause a swaying 
movement in action. 

The arm must be large and muscular, and placed so as to bring 
the legs in proper position under the body, not standing out at 
the corners. 

The fore arm should be comparati\'cly long, broadly and 
strongly muscled in its upper part, and gradually taper to the 
knee. A powerful fore arm on the draft horse is highly impor- 
tant and its value is not likely to be overestimated. 

The knee must be broad, as viewed from the front, be well 
carried back, and be amply supported from below. This part 
should be neat and cleanly jointed. 

The ca)mon bone is round, but has tendons extending down 
its back edge, more or less separated from the bone. As viewed 
from one side, the cannon and its attachment should be deep. 



THE DRAFl" TYPE 95 

amply supporting the knee ; and viewed from rear or front, 
should be quite flat, thus representing the strongest conformation. 
Often the cannon is tied in beneath the knee, which indicates 
weakness. A long or rounded cannon shows faulty conforma- 
tion. Flatness and shortness below the knee are always asso- 
ciated with the best development. A fair girth at the smallest 
point is g^ inches. A large girth, however, does not always indi- 
cate proper development, as the leg may be coarse and out of 
proportion. 

The fetlock, or, as it is often called, the pastern joint, must 
be smooth and deep, with no roughness. 

The pastern is an important part of the leg. It should be 
fairly long, be perfectly smooth and free from extra flesh, and 
stand at an angle of about 45 degrees. At this slope concussion 
is received in perhaps the least degree, and with least injury to 
the foot and leg. There is some difference of opinion among 
horsemen on the length of pastern, some preferring one reason- 
ably long and others one of medium length. The slope is more 
important than the length, but no doubt better feet prevail where 
the pastern leans toward length rather than shortness. Side- 
bones, ringbones, and other foot troubles are most prevalent 
with short, straight-pasterned draft horses. As the horse natu- 
rally places the foot in action, the pressure first comes on the 
frog and is then distributed over the rest of the foot. If the 
pastern is straight, the toe and front of the foot strike first, 
and thus the concussion is greatest. 

The foot ought to be large, the hoof dense and preferably 
dark in color, the sole concave, and the frog large. There is an 
old saying, "No foot, no horse." Sound feet are absolutely 
essential to comfort and efficiency of work. The interior of the 
foot contains very sensitive nerves and membranes. If the foot 
is too small and contracted, if the frog is too narrow and low, 
inflammation of the membranes will frequently follow. The ample 
foot, wide on top and behind, well suj^ported at the heel, and 
carried true in movement, turning neither in nor out at the toe, 
is least likely to be troubled with disease. 

The body should be short on top, long below, broad along the 
back, with the ribs strongly arched and of great depth. A long 



96 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

back indicates weakness of both constitution and draft power, 
while a short, deeply muscled back means strength. If the ribs 
are well sprung and deep, it shows capacity of the internal 
organs, indicates a good feeder, and materially adds to the 
weight necessary in the drafter. Usually satisfactory rib devel- 
opment provides a proper body conformation. Often immature 
horses appear to lack depth of body to some degree, but age 
and feeding establish the proper proportions. The horse that 
lacks depth of body will also lack such essentials as capacity 
and the power of endurance. 

The loin should be broad and thickly muscled. Narrow, thin 
loins indicate weakness of a serious character. Often the loin is 
depressed directly in front of the space between the hips, a dis- 
tinctly undesirable conformation. Animals with a sway back as 
a rule show this weakness of loin. 

The cj-onp should be broad, wide, fairly level, and heavily 
muscled. A steep croup is very objectionable, and affects 
both the beauty and power of the horse. A short, steep croup 
is less strongly muscled than one that is long. The Belgian 
and French draft breeds seem most subject to steepness of 
rump and low setting of tail. 

The tJiigh should be strongly muscled, and the quarters should 
be thick and full. A horse split up high behind, with a thin, 
sharply tapering thigh, lacks good draft form at this place. The 
gaskin, or lower thigh, when properly made, is deep from front 
to rear and heavily covered with muscle. 

The Jiock is a part which requires careful study. As viewed 
from one side, it should show considerable depth, while from 
the rear it should possess a certain degree of thinness, though 
broad in front, the entire joint being free from extra flesh. 
Thick hocks are very common with draft horses, due to various 
reasons. The joint may be fleshy, pufifiness may occur from lack 
of exercise, or a form of spavin may exist. The hock should be 
smooth and its various natural curves well defined. As the 
horse stands in a natural position on his feet, the hocks should 
be straight and true as viewed from behind, showing no evidence 
of weakness. Where the hock holds a true position the hind 
feet also stand true, neither toeing in nor out. When toeing 



THE DRAFT TYPE 



97 



out the points of the hock come too close together, while if 
toeing in notably the points may be wide apart and the hocks 
appear springy and weak when in action. The hock should be 
supported by a wide, thin, clean-boned cannon which may be 
about 1 1 inches in girth at its smallest point. A true position 
of the hind leg may be ascertained by the use of the plumb line 
which, dropped from the point of the buttock or croup, viewed 
from behind, should pass the center of point of hock, cannon, 
pastern, and foot. From one side it should pass parallel to the 
entire edge of the cannon, and when suspended from the point 
of the hip, should pass the gaskin at the center and drop to the 
center of the foot. 

Draft-horse measurements of special interest were made by 
Mr. A. H. Snyder of the Ohio State University, College of 
Agriculture, under the direction of Professor T. F. Hunt. The 
following table shows the average result from this study. 



Kind of Measurements 



Number horses measured 

Weight 

Height at withers 

Height at croup 

From point shoulder to point buttock 
From lowest point chest to ground 
Circumference of body at girth . . 
Circumference of front cannon at center 

Length of head 

Length of shoulder 

From dorsal angle of scapula to hip . 
From point of hock to ground . . . 

Width of chest 

Width of hips 

Length of croup 



Class of Draft Horse 



Extra 


Medium 


Goou 


Good 


55 


17 


1613 lb. 


1579 lb. 


16I hd. 


l6| hd. 


16I " 


17 ' 




67.8 in. 


68.85 


n. 


33-5 " 


34-12 




90 


87.8. 




9.66 " 


975 




26.66 " 


26.8 




27.25 " 


27 




30.4 " 


31 




25-5 " 


25-9 




20 


19-5 




25.2 " 


25.12 




22.5 " 


22.75 





CHAPTER XV 
THE PERCHERON 

The original home of the Percheron horse is La Perche, France. 

For many centuries draft horses haxe been bred in France. The 
Percheron, however, has developed within certain Hmited French 
territory. In northwestern France, bounded on one side by the 
English Channel, is a district known as Normandy. It com- 
prises nearly seven million acres, and is divided into five depart- 
ments, — La Manche, Calvados, Orne, Eure et Loir, and Sarthe. 
In the southeastern part of Normandy, and extending beyond 
its borders, is what might be termed a county known as La 
Perche. All of this part of France referred to has from time 
immemorial been a famous horse-producing region, and many of 
the draft type of French horses and French Coachers that are 
imported to America come from this section. The region of La 
Perche is about fifty by sixty miles in area, and is rather broken 
of surface, having numerous valleys and small streams of water. 

The origin of the Percheron breed is most obscure. For many 
centuries horses of a draft type were bred in the vicinity of La 
Perche. In early times this stock was without doubt typical of 
the heavy draft horse generally existing in northern Europe, and 
it is assumed that here existed the foundation ;?tock from which 
the modern Percheron is developed. Foreign blood, however, has 
played an important part in the make-up of this breed. 

The improvement of the early Percheron type is generally cred- 
ited by French and other writers to the use of the 'horses of the 
Orient. This is accounted for by the existence of large numbers 
of Arab and Barb horses in France at the time of the Saracen 
invasion in the early part of the eighth century. These horses 
were brought from the T^ast, and no doubt were more or less 
crossed upon the horses of La Perche. Two government studs 
were established in the eighteenth century, one at Le Pin, on the 

98 



THE PERCHERON 



99 



borders of La Perchc, in 171 4, and the other at Pompadour in 1755. 
These were destroyed during the revolution, but were restored 
by Napoleon in 1806, and have ever since remained important 
breeding studs, where the Percheron has been greatly improved. 
About 1775 Madame du Barry, of Paris, received a gift of a pair of 



'^'•^r.'?iy- 




Fig. 35. A fine example of Percheron type and character. 
From photograph by John \V. Hills 

Danish horses. These became popular, and later others of the 
same sort were taken to Normandy. Then English stock was 
introduced, and horses also came in from adjoining districts and 
from Belgium. In 1 820 two Arabian stallions, Godolphin and Gal- 
lipoli, from the government stud at Le Pin, were used on F'rench 
marcs. These sires were gray, and no doubt had considerable 
influence in developing the gray color among the horses of La 



lOO 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 




Perche. The general effect of this Arabian blood on the French 
horse has been to impart quality, as shown in superior bone, style, 

and finish. Gallipoli, in partic- 
ular, had a very beneficial in- 
fiuence. Jean Le Blanc (739), 
foaled in 1823, a grandson of 
Gallipoli, is regarded as hav- 
ing had a remarkable influence 
on the breed in his day. 

The early type of Percheron 
resulting from this amalgama- 
tion of races was not so large 
a horse as is known to-day. 
The farmer of La Perche re- 
quired a horse suited to gen- 
eral purposes, so the early 
type was smaller and more 
active of foot than the present- 
day Percheron. Either under 
saddle or before gig, Per- 
cherons trotted with consider- 
able speed. Records of 
Percherons show that not in- 
frequently they have trotted 
at a rate of about a mile in four minutes. Richardson gives 
interesting illustrations of the ability of this horse to travel long 
distances with considerable speed : 

A gray mare six years old which took a heavy gig 56 miles over a heavy 
road in 4 hours and 24 minutes ; and another, seven years old, drew an 
ordinary country gig 55 miles in 4 hours, i minute, 35 seconds, returning 
the next day over the same ground in 4 hours, i minute, 30 seconds, the last 
14 miles being covered in i hour, and neither in going or returning was she 
touched with the whip. 

The characteristics of this early type showed less scale, a 
lighter weight, with a height ranging from 15 to 16 hands. It 
was a superior general-purpose horse of drafty conformation, 
yet lacking large size and heavy weight. This type met with 
such great favor that buyers from various parts of France, 



Fig. 36. Orangiste 29606. First-prize three- 
year-old Percheron in France in 1902 at 
the annual show at Paris and at the show 
of the Societc Ilippique Percheronne at 
Nogent-le-Rotrou. Also first prize in 
class at International Live Stock Expo- 
sition, Chicago, 1902. Imported by 
McLaughlin Bros. Photograph taken by 
James B. McLaughlin in France 



THE PERCHERON 



lOl 



Germany, and elsewhere began to draw upon La Perche for 
their horse stock. 

Percheron deterioration came in with the improvement of the 
breed. Toward the close of the first third of the nineteenth cen- 
tury the demand for these horses in La Perche became so great 
that the farmers sold their best brood mares and stallions to 
such an extent as to require their replacement. Not enough 
good Percherons were available, so that other French races were 
introduced. Large numbers of mares similar to Percherons in 
size and style were introduced from Brittany, Picardy, Boulogne, 
Caux, and elsewhere. These often lacked bone, substance, and 
quality. With the improvement of highways came a demand for 
heavier horses, and then buyers purchased large ones to meet 
the increased demand. For a time quality was sacrificed for 
quantity, the heaviest stallion being most in demand. Many of 
the best brood mares of lighter type were sacrificed, thus causing 
serious deterioration. This condition of affairs continued for some 
years, until breeders recognized the absolute necessity of superior 
type and quality with increased size. 

The type of Percheron about 1877 is thus described by Rich- 
ardson, an English writer who was familiar with these horses 
in their native home. 

The characteristics of the best 
horses are that they run from 15 
to 16 hands in height; the head is 
handsome, though perhaps some- 
times heavy, but more frequently 
as fine as an Arab's ; the nostrils 
wide ; the eye large and expressive ; 
the forehead broad ; ears silky ; 
neck rather short, but with a good 
crest ; withers high ; shoulders long 
and sloping ; chest rather flat, but 
broad and deep ; body well ribbed ; 
loins rather long ; crupper level and 
muscular ; the buttocks often high, 
leaving a depression above the 
junction of the tail, which is set on 
high ; joints short and strong ; the tendons often weak ; legs clean and free 
from coarse hair; feet always good, though rather flat when reared upon 
moist pastures ; the skin fine, and mane silky and abundant ; the color 




Fig. 37. Pyrrhus,aprize-winning Percheron 
stallion in France at Nogent-le-Rotrou 
and Vendome. Photograph taken in 
France by James B. McLaughlin 



102 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

is general!)' gray, but there are some grand black I'ercherons. . . . Docile, 
patient, honest workers, very hardy, the Pcrcherons are unexcitable, but 
active and cheerful, rarely showing bad temper, and very free from natural 
blemish, trotting away cheerfully with heavy loads. The French call tliem 
the best draught horses in the world. 

Yet even when Richardson penned this (1877) he stated that 
these quahties were rarely found combined in any of the Per- 
cheron horses, on account of the deteriorating influences already 
referred to. 

The more approved type of Percheron to-day calls for all the 
best features in the model draft horse. In weight mature stal- 
lions usually average from 1700 to 2000 pounds, and mares 
from 1500 to 1800 pounds. Exceptions, however, very natu- 
rally occur. Univers 33977 P.R., the celebrated show stallion, 
weighed in show form about 2300 pounds, while Chichi 40072 
P.R., as a two-year-old in show form, weighed 2150 pounds. A 
most a{)proved weight of mature mare is 1650 pounds. The 
height of stallions ranges from 15^ to 17 hands, and mares 
from 15}, to i6|. Tall Percherons are not regarded with favor, 
a lower set form being preferable. The color is usually a gray or 
black, but bays and browns occasionally occur. Fashion has caused 
some changes in color production, there having been periods 
when grays were most common, while later blacks were much 
in favor. It is said that at the fair at Chartres, France, in Feb- 
ruary, I Syy, one dealer had eighteen blacks, for which he asked 
about the equivalent of $10,000 for the lot, "and they were well 
worth it." Grays have been most popular in the United States 
and France, and dark gray may be regarded as a typical Percheron 
color. Howev^er, in spite of the criticism of black as a horse color, 
the opening years of the twentieth century have seen a great 
demand for black Percherons or dark iron grays, and most of the 
horses recently imported have been of these colors. 

The body of the Percheron is characteristically compact and 
blocky of form, full in the chest, and broad of back. Horses of 
the breed, however, often have steep, rather short rumps, with 
the tail set too low, and even with the best specimens the type of 
rump tends to unnecessary slope. In depth and fullness of body 
there is also a lack. The legs and feet are quite distinctive of 



THE PERCHERON 



103 



the breed. No more shapely and well-developed feet are found 
on any draft horse than on the Percheron. The bone of the leg is 
usually superior, but the cannons are not infrequently lacking in 
breadth and flatness, while the hocks may be fuller than is desir- 
able. The clean limbs, free of long hair, account for much of the 
popularity of the Percheron in America. Percheron actioji at a 
walk is reasonably true and snappy. The trot, with good repre- 
sentatives of the breed, is carried with vim and life, the knees 




Fig. 38. Monaco 11. A capital stamp of a I'eiclieron stallion, first in a ring of 
29 at the International Live Stock Exposition, Chicago, 1905. Imported 
by McLaughlin Bros. Photograph by the author 

being moved strong and the hocks well flexed. The Percheron 
may be regarded as one of the very best actors among the draft 
breeds, being surpassed only by the Clydesdale. The Percheron 
head and neck are typical of the most attractive draft-horse 
character. The eye is usually full and prominent, the forehead 
broad and reasonably full, the face straight or slightly dished 
above the nose, the jaw strong, the ears refined and attractively 
set and carried with animation. The graceful neck is usually 



I04 'I'HE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

smoothly blended with the body and cleanly attached to the head, 
being crowned with profuse mane and foretop. Those things 
which give special distinction to the Percheron breed are the 
head and neck suggesting the Arabian, the blocky body and 
droopy tendency of rumj), the short smooth legs, the charac- 
teristic color, and the superior action. As a draft beast the 
pure-bred or high-grade Percheron ranks in P" ranee and America 
at the very front, with no superior. 

The improvement of the Percheron in France is due to both 
public and private methcxis. The government for over a century 
has maintained studs in which select animals have been kept for 
breeding purposes. The best horses in France have been in the 
past and are at present reserved by the government for home 
improvement. In addition to this, subsidies are paid private indi- 
viduals to keep horses of merit in the stud. Animals are crit- 
ically inspected by government veterinarians, and if up to a 
certain standard, they are designated as subsidized, and a cash 
bonus is paid for keeping them in the country on the farm of the 
owner, available to the owners of mares. This bonus ranges from 
300 to 500 francs ($60 to $100) per year, according to the 
breeding and excellence of the stallion. Horses of not quite so 
good a grade are authorized after passing inspection, and the 
owners are given a card which is a government recommendation 
of the sires to farmers. A third class, known as approved, of 
which there are but few, are permitted to be in service, but 
neither bonus nor special certificate is given for them. 

Since 1885 a government decree has excluded from public 
service all stallions not coming within these classes. 

The Percheron horse society of France (Societe Hippique Per- 
cheronne) was organized in 1883, and its purpose has been to 
promote the purity of the breed. In 1890 this society passed a 
rule that all colts must be entered for registry between the ages 
of three and six months. At the time of registration a veteri- 
narian appointed by the society is required to brand its official 
mark on the colt's neck. 

American Percheron horse associations date back to 1876. At 
this time, owing to the common usage of the word Norman, it 
was planned to organize the Norman Horse Association. French 



THE PERCHERON 1 05 

horses, known as Normans, had been used in the West some 
years, for as far back as 1854 Dillon & Company, of Normal, 
Illinois, showed what they termed Normans. The word Per- 
cheron was also in use. Mr. J. H. Sanders had been made sec- 
retary of the new association, and he added the word Percheron 
to the title, so that it read Percheron-Norman Horse Associa- 
tion, and his action was approved. This was followed by some 
members withdrawing and organizing the National Register of 
Norman Horses, which was later changed to the National Regis- 
ter of French Draft Horses. With the organization in France 
of a Percheron society the word Norman was dropped from the 
American title, in order to correspond with that of the French 
association. The career of the American Percheron Horse 
Breeders' Association proved rather unsatisfactory to many of 
its members, due to too much one-man power vested in its 
secretary. This resulted in the organization, in 1902, of the 
American Percheron Horse Breeders' and Importers' Associa- 
tion, with headquarters later established at Chicago, Illinois. 
In 1905 the name of this was changed to the Percheron 
Society of America. There was also organized in 1902, at 
Columbus, Ohio, the Percheron Registry Company. More 
recently, in October, 1905, another association, known as the 
American Breeders' and Importers' Percheron Registry, was in- 
corporated, with headquarters at Plainfield, Ohio. Each of these 
associations was organized to promote the breed in America, to 
register animals, and to publish studbooks. The old association 
is now defunct, but the other three are actively promoting 
the breed. 

Percheron studbooks are published both in France and 
America. Volume I of the French book {Stud-Book Percheron 
public par la Societe Hippiqiic PcrcJicronnc) first appeared in 1883, 
since which numerous volumes have been issued. The old Per- 
cheron-Norman Horse Association published two volumes, the 
first appearing in 1877. Later, with the change of name to 
Percheron Horse Association of America, three more volumes 
were issued under the name of the Percheron Sttidbook of 
America. In 1906 this association published Volume VI. In 
1905 the Percheron Registry Company published Volume I. 



io6 



rilK HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



The introduction of the Percheron to the United States dates 
back many years. French horses were brought to America as 
long ago as 1816, when a stalHon was taken to Quebec and later 
sold to go to Washington County, New York. It has been as- 
sumed that this was a Norman horse. In 1839 ^^^ ^^st "genu- 
ine " Percheron importation to America was brought over by 
Edward Harris to Moorcstown, New Jersey. This importation 
consisted of one stallion and two mares. The stallion died at 
sea, and the mares were unfortunate, one landing in poor 
health, while the other injured herself in car shipment, necessi- 
tating killing. Mr. Harris at once returned to France and 

imported the stallions Dili- 
gence and Bonaparte, with 
several mares. These were 
the smaller type of Percheron, 
standing about 15 hands high 
and weighing 1200 to 1500 
pounds. Diligence, who died 
in i860, was regarded as a 
fine specimen of the breed. 

An important half century 
of Percheron history in the 
United States began in 185 i. 
At this time F'ullington and 
Martin, of Milford Center, Ohio, brought to that state the first 
importation to the West, the gray colt Louis Napoleon. He was 
15^ hands high and weighed 1600 pounds. In 1856 A. P. Cush- 
man of Illinois purchased him. Louis Napoleon proved to be a 
great breeder, and was no doubt one of the very best draft horses 
ever brought to America. It has been estimated that over 400 
of his sons were successful stallions. In 185 i another importa- 
tion was also brought to Ohio by Dr. Marcus Brown of Circle- 
ville. He imported a stallion named Normandy, often referred to 
as "Pleasant Valley Bill," "Old Bill," or "The Valley Horse." 
He stood 15^ hands high and weighed about i 500 pounds, and it is 
said that for eighteen years he averaged about sixty colts a year. 
Also the same year Captain Samuel Holmes, of Chester Springs, 
Pennsylvania, brought two stallions from France, and following 




Fig. 39. Tenchiiusr. A I'rrc heron mare 
owned in France. Photograph by James 
B. McLaughlin, Columbus, Ohio 



THE PERCHERON 107 

these two, others were brought over for John J. Parker of West 
Chester and Edward Shippen of Meadville. In 1856 Jordan and 
Martin, of Woodstock, Ohio, imported a stalHon named Rollin, 
which was not long after sold to go to Illinois. 

Numerous importations followed the above. In 1866 W. T. 
Walters, of Baltimore, Maryland, brought over several mares and 
stallions, he being the first person to establish an important 
breeding stud in America. Mr. Walters had lived in France and 
had studied the breed there, and so was able to buy to advan- 
tage. In 1870 M. W. Dunham, of Wayne, Illinois, and in 1874 
William Singmaster, of Keota, Iowa, began breeding and import- 
ing. They both became famous Percheron authorities, and the 
studs founded by them are still in existence. Besides these the 
Stubblefields of Bloomington, Ellis Dillon of Normal, and Ezra 
Stetson of Neponset, Illinois, and the Fullingtons of Ohio were 
early breeders and importers. 

The distribution of the Percheron in America is widespread. 
Weld estimates that in 1866 there were fully five thousand Per- 
cherons in this country, but no doubt many of these were 
French drafts of other breeds. The leading breeders and im- 
porters have seemed to center about Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, and 
Michigan, with small studs scattered all over the country, but 
notably in the Mississippi Valley. Between 185 1 and 1883 
nearly four thousand Percherons were imported or bred in the 
United States of which a more or less correct record is kept. 
These were widely distributed, Illinois having 1834 ; Ohio, 
Indiana, and Michigan 577 ; Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota 
424 ; New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey 280 ; and Mis- 
souri, Kansas, and Nebraska 186. In the early eighties many 
were brought over, 2600 being reported as imported or home- 
bred in 188 I, 1882, and 1883. In 1884 more than two thousand 
of all ages were brought to America from France. At the pres- 
ent time (1906) importations are quite active, and considerable 
shipments of stallions are being made to states in the Northwest 
and on the Pacific slope. In Canada horses of this breed are in 
use, but not on so extensive a scale as the British draft breeds. 

Cross-bred or grade Percherons are very common in America. 
In fact the numl:>cr of pure-bred registered mares is comparatively 



loS THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

small. Pure-bred stallions mated to the larger type of grade 
mares, of drafty conformation, furnish most of our best draft 
teams. Prepotent Percheron stallions mated to mares of other 
draft breeds also usually give satisfactory results, and this is a 
favorite combination in some localities where legs with feather 
hairs are found on mares of Clyde or Shire ancestry. The result- 
ing offspring are usually smooth-legged and more easily satisfy 
the common market demands. In the South, Curtis has not re- 
ported so favorably on the mating of Percherons on native mares, 
finding that the " half-blood colts " were somewhat prone to 
bone and leg diseases. This, however, is not a general difficulty 
with Percherons, for if it were the popularity of the breed would 
long ago have suffered severely. The most prominent buyers 
in the Chicago horse market have testified in the highest terms 
to the demand for Percheron grades and crosses, and repeatedly 
grade geldings of show-ring form have sold for $500 per head 
and over. 

Famous Percheron sires. Naturally during the history of the 
breed there have been many sires of excellence in America. 
Among these the following ten stallions may be regarded as of 
special importance, mainly on account of their influence as 
breeders, although some of them were famous show horses. 

Louis Napoleon 281 : foaled, 1848; imported, 1851. 

Normandy 351 (also known as Pleasant Valley Bill): foaled, 1849; im- 
ported, 1 85 1. 
Success 452 : foaled, 1864 ; imported, 186S. 
Vidocq 483 (732): foaled, 1869; imported, 1874; sire, Coco II (714); 

dam, by Cheri. 
Brilliant 1271 (755): foaled, 1876; imported, 1881 ; sire, Brilliant 1899 

(756) ; dam. Ragout, by Favori I (711). 
French Monarch 205 (734): foaled, March, 1865; imported, 1874; sire, 

Ilderim (5302) ; dam, by Vieux Pierre (894). 
Fenelon 2682 (38): foaled, 1880; imported, 1883: sire, Brilliant 1271; 

dam, Ernestine, by Duke of Perche 173 (740). 
La Ferte 5144 (452): foaled, 1881 ; imported, 1886; sire, Philibert (760); 

dam, Julie (7594), by Brilliant 1899 (756). 
Gilbert 5154 (461): foaled, 1882; imported, 1886; sire. Brilliant 1271 

(755); dam, Sophie (7694). 
Seditcteur d,^^o {yo^j) : foaled, 1884; imported, 1888: sire, Fenelon 2682 

(38); dam, Rosalie (5688) by Brilliant 1899 (756). 



THE PERCHERON 



109 



Of the above horses Louis Napoleon and Brilliant were prob- 
ably most famous, each proving remarkable breeders, although 
all of the horses in question stand out as famous sires. 

The leading Percheron shows in France are held under different 
conditions. Each year a great central show is held at Paris. 
For years the annual Percheron show of France has been held 
in a migratory way, coming back to the same locality every 
twelve years. In 1905 it was held at Rouen. The Percheron 
Society show is held once each year in La Perche district, at 
either La Ferte, Mortagne, or Nogent-le-Rotrou. 

The American Percheron shows of most importance are held 
at the International Live Stock Exposition, Chicago, the Kansas 
City Horse Show, and the 
state fairs of Ohio, Illinois, 
Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, Min- 
nesota, and Wisconsin. 

Very high prices for Per- 
cherons have been paid. Mr. 
Dillon, of Illinois, was the first 
importer to pay as much as 
;^i6oo for a stallion in France, 
paying this price in 1882. The 
late M. \V. Dunham years ago 
made one sale of three mares 
and a stallion for $10,000. In 
1903 McLaughlin Bros., of 

Ohio, sold the stallion Orangiste 29606 for $5500, and a month 
later sold Pour-Ouoi-Pas 27248 for $7000. In December, 1905, 
this same firm sold the stallion Rosenberg, grand champion 
Percheron at the International Live Stock E.xposition, for $8000, 
the highest price paid for a draft stallion in America. McLaughlin 
Bros, also sold Fronton 34289, the champion stallion of the 
breed at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, for $6500. These 
represent the highest prices associated with this breed. 

Percheron geldings are great favorites in the horse market and 
many very high-class ones are sold. At the 1905 International 
Exposition the six-horse teams of geldings exhibited by Armour 
& Company and Pabst Brewing Company caused universal 




Fig. 40. Adrian. A Percheron stallion 
showing excellent breed type. Photo- 
graph from James B. McLaughlin 



no THE HORSi:, ASS, AND MULE 

admiration. George, owned by Pabst, the first-prize gelding of 
the 1904 exposition, weighed when shown 2140 pounds. In 
1905 the Pabst Brewing Company purchased a pair of geldings 
on the Chicago horse market, paying ^1300 for them, the highest 
price thus far paid for such a team. 

The present popularity of the Percheron is very great. While 
it is true that any high-class draft horse is looked on with favor 
in the market and readily commands a good price this breed is 
an American favorite. No other draft breed is raised pure on 
so large a scale as this. Percheron studs, containing pure-bred 
mares, are becoming more common than ever before in the 
United States. The large number of horses of this breed seen 
at the shows, attests its general favor in the Mississippi Valley. 
In the horse market Percheron blood predominates. This popu- 
larity is largely due to docility, intelligence, activity, heavy 
weight, excellent feet, and reliability in heavy draft work. This 
prestige bids fair to remain for years to come. 



CHAPTER XVI 

THE FRENCH DRAFT 

A brief consideration of the French Draft horse is essential, 
although no recognized breed of this name exists. In America 
it has been customary for many years to refer to draft horses 
brought from France as French Draft horses. Not only this, but 
we now have in the United States an organization which registers 
draft horses from France in a French Draft studbook. 

Distinct breeds of French Draft horses, however, are well 
known, and in France are clearly recognized. Years ago there 
was some confusion among importers on this point, but at the 
present time we have more definite knowledge on the subject. 
All heavy horses in France are not of the same breed, even if 
brought to America as French Draft. It is quite customary to 
name certain European breeds after the localities in which they 
receiv^ed their chief development, and this applies to the horses 
of France. It is extremely doubtful if any draft horses come to 
this country from France that cannot be properly listed as belong- 
ing to one of the following breeds, which essentially represent 
the characteristic draft breeds of that country. 

1. Percheron. This is the best-known and most highly devel- 
oped of the French Draft breeds. For an extended consideration 
of the breed, see Chapter XV. 

2. Boidonnais. This breed is largely found in the district of 
Boulogne in northern France and in adjoining Belgium, deriving 
its name from the former. The breed is somewhat larger and 
coarser than the Percheron, is coarser of neck, steeper and squarer 
of croup, and while not deficient in action, shows less than the 
Percheron. The color is variable, though frequently gray or 
white. It is claimed by the French that there is no interchange 
between the horses of Boulogne and La Perche, and that the 
Boulonnais has mainly been improved by selection and care, 



112 TIIH HORSE, ASS, AND iMULE 

though it is suggested that some improvement may have come 
from Percheron blood. The breed has an excellent reputation in 
France, where a studbook kept in its interest is widely used, 
and the Boulonnais is regarded as second only in importance to 
the Percheron. Prominent importers have stated that Boulonnais 
horses have not been extensively brought to America, although 
no doubt they are well represented in the United States under 
the names of Norman or French Draft. 

3. Breton. This breed belongs to Brittany in extreme west- 
ern France, in a section opposite southwest England, from 
which it is parated by the English Channel. This is quite 
a prominent orse section, but in its past history rather mis- 
cellaneous brt ^ding has been resorted to. English, Arabian, 
and cross-brc' stallions have been used, and more recently 
Percheron. Richardson, in discussing these horses thirty years 
ago, says : 

Thoufjh larger than the horses of the center, those in the north only run 
from 14 hands to 15.1, having improved up to the latter point, which the 
best horses now commonly reach. They are of much the same character as 
the Percheron ; indeed, there has been a continual interchange between the 
two districts, and the color is chiefly the same — gray ; but the Breton horse 
has a heavier head, more hair about the heels, broader feet, a heavier 
frame, he is shorter below the knee, and the pasterns are shorter, in fact, he 
shows less blood. 

In the past large numbers of weaned foals have been sold to go 
out of Brittany. " Nor," says Richardson, " are they known again 
as Breton horses. The grays become Perchcrons and the bays 
Normans." 

Leading Percheron importers claim that none of the Bretons 
are brought to America, but that they are largely used for omni- 
bus horses in Paris. 

4. Nivernais. This breed is mainly found in the department 
of Nievre in central France. It is a somewhat modern black 
breed, largely the result of using black Percheron stallions on 
the mares of the region, which are hardly as large as Percherons. 
This breed has not been imported to any important degree, as it 
does not exist in large numbers in its native home, this region 
being most celebrated for its cattle. 



THE FRENCH DRAFT 



113 



5. Ardiunais. This is a native of Ardennes on the Belgian 
frontier in northern France. It has been described as a small type 
of Belgian, and is probably not much imported. 

6. Picardy. French authorities rather class this as the Flem- 
ish horse, very large and generally bay in color. It is bred in 
northern France and Belgium, and is in fact the Belgian breed, 
though M. La Motte Rouge, who was for many years employed 
in the government studs of France, claims that the Picardy is in 
fact a variety of Boulonnais. 

Of the above breeds the first three are the -only ones of 
importance as possibly affecting American tradi - 

The National French Draft Horse Association O;' America pub- 
lishes a studbook in which may be registered an^ of the above- 
named draft horses, irrespective of breed. This r-^^sociation was 
first organized as the National Norman Horse Association in 1876, 
but in 1885 its title was changed to the National French Draft 
Horse Association. This was entirely correct, as there is no 
such breed of horses in France as Norman, notwithstanding the 
current use of this word in America for over half a century. 
Thus far this association has published eight studbooks. 



CHAPTER XVII 

THE CLYDESDALE 

The Clydesdale is the recognized draft breed of Scotland and 
stands to-day in great degree as the product of Scotch breeders. 

The early history of the Clydesdale is veiled in more or less 
obscurity. Scotch writers on the horse state that in the seven- 
teenth and early part of the eighteenth century there was 
doubtless an interchange of draft-horse blood between Scotland 
and England. Scotch cattle dealers driving herds into England 
returned north with English mares which were bred to stallions 
in the northland. This was prior to the use of the word 
Clydesdale. Claims have been made that the Duke of Hamil- 
ton brought black stallions from Flanders in Belgium to Scot- 
land about the middle of the seventeenth century, and bred 
them to the native Scotch mares. This, however, is traditional. 
Undoubtedly very mixed blood was in the early breedmg. 

The origin of the modern Clydesdale seems to trace back to 
about 17 1 5 or 1720. John Paterson was a tenant farmer of 
Lochlyoch in Carmichael parish in the county of Lanark. This 
county is in southern Scotland, and through its center flows the 
river Clyde, from which the name Clydesdale is derived. Written 
testimony of the family shows that at about the above-referred- 
to period Paterson brought a Flemish stallion from England to 
Lochlyoch, which was bred to the mares in the region there- 
abouts. The result of this union created a superior strain of 
draft horses for that time, and they met with special favor during 
the latter part of the eighteenth and the early part of the nine- 
teenth century. Breeders valued the influence of the Lochlyoch 
blood, and this is now regarded as essentially Clydesdale founda- 
tion stock. The mares descended from this Flemish stallion are 
described as " generally browns and blacks, with white faces 
and a little white on their legs ; they had gray hairs in their 

114 



THE CLYDESDALE 



115 



tails, along with occasional gray hairs over their bodies, and 
invariably a white spot on their belly, this latter being regarded 
as a mark of distinct purity of blood." 

The use of English blood on the Clydesdale, following the days 
of Paterson up to comparatively recent times, is admitted by 
Professor Wallace, a leading Scotch authority. Tintock, a Shire 
stallion, along about i860 was used in Scotland on Clydesdale 




tn;. 41. Ills Royal llighiiL'ss. Junior champion (_ I) tlL-stlale stallion at Louisi- 
ana Purchase Exposition, 1904. Bred and owned by McLay Bros., Janes- 
ville, Wisconsin. Photograph from owners 

mares, producing very excellent breeding females. The grandams 
of the Prince of Wales were both Shires of Knglish blood. In 
1842 Professor Low commented on the distribution of the breed, 
and stated that they " have been mixed in blood with all the 
other varieties." During recent years, however, the Clydesdale 
has been maintained as a pure breed. 

Important Clydesdale sires, other than the Flemish stallion of 
Paterson, date back to early in the nineteenth century. The first 



Il6 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

of distincticm was (jlanccr (335), alias I'homjjson's Black Horse. 
The Scotch studbook states that he was foaled about 18 10, 
but this date is questioned. The story is that Glancer was sired 
by a black stallion named Blaze, bought in Ayrshire about 
1780 and taken to Lanark for service. He was a stallion 161 
hands high, perhaps had some coach blood, and possessed both 
style and action. Blaze in service to a mare known as the 
Lampits mare, on the Lampits farm in Lanark, sired Glancer. 
The result of this union became more than locally famous, for 
from him " nearly all the best animals of the present day are 
descended," says the Anicricati Clydesdale Studbook. dan- 
cer's dam, which died in 1827, was a famous brood mare, having 
produced other superior foals. 

Broom field Chavtpioji {95) was a notable stallion following 
Glancer (335). He sired Clyde alias Glancer (153), Glancer 
(338), Bowman's Colt (1078), and a number of great brood mares. 
Some of his offspring were successful in the show ring, but his 
chief distinction comes from being the sire of Glancer (153). 
Broomfield Champion was brown with white hind pasterns and a 
narrow white streak on the face. His name is most frequent in 
early Clydesdale pedigrees. 

Clyde, alias Glancer ( 1 5 3), was owned by William Fulton of Ren- 
frew County, a noted breeder, and was bred by Mr. Forest of 
Lanark County. Though not a show animal himself, from 1844 
to 1850 the leading honors of Scotch exhibitions went to the 
produce of Clyde. He was dark brown in color and, having been 
ruptured, was known as "The Ruptured Horse." Seven sons 
and one daughter of his are recorded in the first volume of the 
Scotch Clydesdale Studbook. Most of these sons proved later 
to be sires of great merit, and were used in various localities in 
improving the breed. 

Prince of Wales (673), foaled in 1866, bred by James N. 
Fleming of the county of Ayr, and later owned by several dif- 
ferent persons, was one of the two greatest Clydesdales in recent 
history. He was sired by General (322), whose sire was Sir Walter 
Scott (797), a great show horse and breeder, while his dam was 
Darling, a mare of unknown breeding beyond one generation. 
Prince of Wales was a dark brown horse with a white stripe on 



THE CLYDESDALE 



117 



his face and more or less white on three legs. He was some- 
what straight in his hocks and a bit Roman-nosed, but in general 
was of good form and a remarkable mover at walk or trot. He 
was not only a great show horse, but was regarded as one of 
the greatest breeders of sires that the Clydesdale breed has pro- 
duced. Prince of Wales was last owned by Dav'id Riddell, of 
Paisley, who purchased him at auction when eighteen years old 




Fig. 42. Baron Alister. Clydesdale stallion, champion in 1904 at the Royal 
Agricultural Society Show of England. Exhibited by A. & W. Mont- 
gomer)', Scotland. Photograph from William Cooper & Nephew.s, 
Berkhamsted, England 



for $4725, and in whose possession he died in 1888. Prominent 
among his sons are Prince of Albion, sold for $15,000; his full 
brother, Prince of Kyle, sold for $8000 ; Prince Alexander, sold 
for $6000 as a yearling ; and Prince Robert. 

Darnlcy (222), foaled in 1872, a bay, was bred by Sir William 
Sterling-Maxwell and was purchased when three years old by 
David Riddell, the owner of Prince of Wales. His sire was 
Conqueror (199); and his dam, Keir Peggy (187), had a fine 



ii8 rill-: IK) RSI-:, ass, and mule 

show-yard record, and as a dam of ten foals is regarded as one of 
the greatest mares of the breed. Her sons, Darnley, Pollock, and 
Newstead, all won first prizes at the Highland and Agricultural 
Society shows. She died in 1888. Darnley himself had a most 
distinguished career in the show ring up to twelve years of age. 
If Prince of Wales was a great stallion sire, so Darnley was a 
famous sire of mares. The descendants of these two animals 
mated unusually well, and from their union has resulted much 
that is best in recent Clydesdale blood. Three of Darnley's best 
sons were MacGregor (1487), Flashwood (3604), and Topgallant 
(1850). These were all great horses, but especially so was Mac- 
Gregor, whose sons gained fame in the show rings of Canada 
and the United States. As a breeder this animal is regarded as 
second only to his sire and Prince of Wales. 

Baron" s Pride (9122), sired by Sir Everard (5353), a son of 
Topgallant (1850), represents the most distinguished of recent 
Clydesdale sires. He proved a fine show horse, while his get 
have been most successful. His son Benedict (103 15) 9300 was 
a successful show horse in Scotland, and was imported to the 
United States in 1900 by Brookside Farm, Fort Wayne, Indi- 
ana, where he stood at the head of that famous Clydesdale stud 
till December, 1904, when he was sold to Scotch buyers and 
returned to Scotland. 

Other Clydesdale sires that have performed an important part 
in the history of the breed in Scotland during the latter part of 
the nineteenth century make a considerable list. Those worthy 
of special mention are Lord Erskine (144), by Boydston Boy, 
foaled in 1879; Farmer (286), by Merry Tom (536), foaled in 
1869; Merry Tom (536), by Rob Roy (714), foaled in i860; 
Lo7'd Lyon (489), by Hercules (378), foaled in 1867; Old Times 
(579)> by Lord Clyde (478), foaled in 1869; Lochfergus Cham- 
pion (449), by Glancer (338), foaled in 1861 ; Topsman (886), 
by Wonderful (915), foaled in 1869. 

Clydesdale characteristics. This breed of draft horses possesses 
certain features of a distinctive kind, on which loyal Scotchmen 
lay great emphasis. The feet and bone and action are cardinal 
points with Clydesdale breeders. The/rr/ must be large, round, 
and open, with an elastic frog and well-spread, clearly expressed 



THE CLYDESDALE 



119 



heel ; the coronet wide ; the pasterns fairly long and rather slop- 
ing ; the cannons short, flat, hard, and cordy; and the fore arms, 
arms, thighs, and quarters notably muscled and strong. From 
the back side of the leg at the cannons should grow an abun- 
dance of long, fine hair, a striking feature in the best specimens 
of Clydesdales, indicative of quality. White feet, though com- 
mon, are objectionable, since they lack the density and wearing 
power of dark feet, and there is a distinct objection to them 
in the Argentine and elsewhere. Emphasis is laid on the full- 
ness of the feet, the 
obliqueness of the pas- 
tern, and the flatness 
and cleanness of bone 
of lower leg. The dodj' 
of the Clydesdale has 
been most subject to 
criticism in the past, 
lacking in depth and 
circumference when it 
should have fullness as 
showing both feeding 
capacity and weight to 
draw loads. Good 
horse critics still insist 
that this deficiency of 
form is still too prev- 
alent with this breed. 
The sJiouldcr is rather 
oblique, with high withers, being superior in this respect among 
the draft breeds. The cJiest is narrower than with other drafters, 
a very wide chest being regarded as objectionable, giving less 
action and more of a paddling gait than is consistent with smooth, 
true movement. The action of the Clydesdale is notable, not 
being surpassed by any breed. Says Alexander Galbraith, an 
acknowledged Scotch-American authority on this breed : 

Great attention has been paid by the Scottish breeders during the last 
twenty or thirty years to the matter of action. No other draft breed has 
received one half the attention that the Clydesdale has in this respect, and 




Fig. 43. Kent-diet 9300, a Clydesdale stallion im- 
ported to America by Brookside Farm, Ft. Wayne, 
Indiana. In 1904 bought by Montgomery Bros., 
of Scotland, and returned to that country. One of 
the greatest sires among modern Clydesdales. 
Photograph by the author 



I20 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

for that reason they far surpass all others in length of stride, in straightness 
and sprightliness of movement, in their ability to keep their hocks together, 
with mechanical accuracy of motion, whether walking or trotting. 

The head of this breed docs not differ essentially in its require- 
ments from a C(jrrect conformation. The writer discussing the 
Clydesdale in Heavy Horses (1894) notes some peculiarities of 
the head worth recording here : 

A tendency to " dish face" may be observed in some tribes, and this is 
generally accompanied by a small ear and what, in the main, is characterized 
as a " pony head." Wherever this style predominates there is probably a 
strain of Highland or old Galloway in the blood. On the other hand, the 
hard, narrow face and Roman nose are regarded as equally if not more 
objectionable. Such features are usually indicative of a strain of Shire 
blood and, indeed, they are not otherwise to be accounted for in the Clydes- 
dale. An open, level countenance, vigorous eye, and large ear are greatly 
valued, and are not readily sacrificed. 

The height of the fully developed stallion is about i6h hands, 
with the mares from one to two inches less. Prince of Albion 
(6178) and Flashwood (3604), two nearly model specimens of 
the breed, stood i6| and 17 hands respectively. Weights of 
2000 pounds for the stallion and 1800 for the mare represent 
good standards, though somewhat above the average. The 
standard color markings are bay or brown, with a white star or 
blaze on the forehead or face, and with all or part of the legs, up 
to the knees and hocks, white. There are also occasional blacks, 
grays, or chestnuts. Gray is unpopular and chestnut indicates 
Shire blood. 

The first Clydesdales brought to America were probably taken 
to Canada, doubtless on account of the love of Scotch settlers 
there for their favorite breed. The following represent the earlier 
importations, the first occurring in 1842 : Gray Clyde 78, importer, 
Archibald Ward, Markham, Ontario, 1842 ; Sovereign 181, 
importer, R. Johnson, Scarborough, Ontario, 1845 ! Cuniber- 
latid 106, importer, David Roundtree, -Jr.,' Weston, Ontario, 
1850; George Buehanan 182, importer, John Wilson, Oshawa,* 
Ontario, 185 1; Bay Wallace 5, importer, William Cochrane, 
Claremont, Ontario, 1854. 

Along in the seventies Clydesdales were brought to the United 
States in a small way, both through Canada and by direct 



IHE CLYDESDALE 



121 



importation. In the early eighties they were brought over in 
larger numbers, especially in 1881, and between then and 1892 
the trade increased greatly and several thousand stallions and 
mares were brought across the water and distributed over the 
country. 

Clydesdales of merit in America date back to their early impor- 
tation. Of these the following may be mentioned as of special 




Fig. 44. Princess Handsome. One of the notable American-bred Clydesdale 
mares. First-prize winner at International Live Stock Exposition, Chi- 
cago, in 1 901, 1902, and 1903. Bred and owned by McLay Bros., Janes- 
ville, Wisconsin. Photograph from owners 

distinction : Donald Dinnie 273, by Glancer (339) ; Johnny Cope 
(416), by Justice (420); Glencoe 158, by Prince of Wales 487 
{673) ; MacQiieeni^i 3, by MacGregor (1487) ; Cedric 929 (1087), 
by Prince of Wales 487 (673) ; Lord Lyndoch 41 13 (4530), by 
Lord Blantyne (2243) ; Lyndoch Chief 5642, by Lord Lyndoch 
41 13 (4530); Young MacQueen 8033, by MacOueen 3513 
(5200) ; Laminated Steel ^yoo, by Cedric 929 (1087) ; Benedict 
9300 (103 1 5), by Baron's Pride (9122). 



122 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



Some prominent early introducers of the Clydesdale to the 
United States were Powell Bros., Springboro, Pennsylvania ; 
Robert Holloway, Alexis, Illinois; Galbraith Bros., Janesville, 
Wisconsin ; N. P. Clarke, St. Cloud, Minnesota ; Brookside farm, 
Fort Wayne, Indiana. 

The American Clydesdale Horse Association was organized in 
1877, and up to January i, 1905, had i)ublished twelve volumes 
of studbooks, covering about 12,000 registrations. 

The Scotch Clydesdale Horse Society was organized in 1878 and 
had published twenty-eight studbooks up to and including 1905. 




Fig. 45. Clydesdale foals bred and owned by McLay Bros., Janesville, 
Wisconsin. Photograph from the owners 

This society has registered within this period over 13,000 stallions 
and over 17,000 mares. 

The distribution of the Clydesdale as a breed is very wide- 
spread, but it has found most favor in P^nglish-spcaking coun- 
tries, notably Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, though it is 
also used in Germany, Russia, Sweden, Cape Colony, and Argen- 
tine Republic. In the United States it has found the most favor 
in the upper Mississippi Valley, between Indiana and Nebraska. 



THE CLYDESDALE 



123 



As might be supposed, this breed finds its -greatest champions 
among the Scotch-Americans. 

Half-bred or grade Clydesdales are not uncommon in some sec- 
tions of the country. Pure-bred stallions on native mares of draft 
character produce excellent horses for farm or city work. They 
are usually of medium draft weight, are active on foot, and are 
quiet and docile of temperament. They frequently lack weight 
for the heaviest work, which emphasizes the necessity of using 
only such stallions for sires as have plenty of middle, as well as 
quality and bone. 

High prices for Clydesdales are more common in Scotland than 
in America. Prince of Albion (6178) is said to have sold for 
jCt,ooo ($15,000), Prince of Kyle for $8000, and Prince Alexan- 
der (8899) for $6000. The highest price ever paid for a two- 
year-old filly was 1000 guineas ($5000) for Montrave Rosea by 
Prince of Albion. 

Criticisms of the Clydesdale are not uncommon among horse- 
men. The hairy legs are objected to by farmers who find it 
necessary to. use them on dirt roads or under conditions in which 
mud or dampness are prevalent in the cooler months of the 
year. The Scotchman argues that the hair protects the skin of 
the leg, and is an evidence of superior bone. In spite of this 
assertion the average buyer prefers a horse with a leg free from 
superfluous hair. On a city pavement or on the hard macadam- 
ized roads of Europe the hair is not so objectionable. 

The shortness of rib of this breed, with a tendency to rangi- 
ness of body, has also counted against it in the past. A short 
coupling and broad, deep body must be a part of the best draft 
type, to give the necessary weight for hauling heavy loads. The 
more recent show horses are distinctly deeper of rib and meet 
with a more favorable reception by horsemen generally. 



CHAPTER XVIII 

THE SHIRE 

The very early history of the Shire horse traces back into the 
days of Roman conquest and almost prehistoric times. Abun- 
dant evidence, as set forth in British history by the earliest 
writers, makes it clear that a heavy type of work horse existed 
in those days. During the period when armor was worn it was 
necessary that a horse be of good size and be able easily to bear 
heavy weight in the saddle. In the sixteenth century in Eng- 
land, when armor was used, according to Tower of London officials 
a man's armor weighed 99.V pounds, the horse's 8 i pounds, and 
the spear 20, a total of 200 pounds approximately. Adding to this 
the weight of a man, the horse had to support nearly 400 pounds. 

Various early paintings show the draft type of horse in use. 
Albert Diirer, in 1505, made a painting of "The Great Horse," 
as it was termed. Vandyke, about 1620, painted a picture show- 
ing the Duke of Arenburg on a great horse. A famous painting 
by Paul Potter shows the great horse about 1652. 

The special region of Shire horse breeding in England has been 
in the east central part, especially in the counties of Lincoln, 
Cambridge, Huntingdon, Northampton, Leicester, Nottingham, 
Derby, and Norwich. However, the breed has been extensively 
produced on the low-lying lands outside this area. During its 
past history it has been known in P^ngland as the " Great 
Horse," the "War Horse," the "Cart Horse," "Old English 
Black Horse," "Giant Lincolnshire," and the "Shire." The 
name " Large Black Old English Horse " was in use from the 
time of Oliver Cronnvcll to modern times. 

The real origin of the Shire is fairly speculative. It is known 
that horses of this large draft type existed in England from 
very early times. We are told that a large draft type of horse 
existed in Flanders, Holland, and in Germany, in the valley 

124 



THE SHIRE 125 

of the Elbe, and that one hundred stallions were brought to 
England from these countries as early as the twelfth century. 
These were used on the English horses of large type. Referring 
to the great paintings of cattle and sheep made by Paul Potter, 
who died in Amsterdam, Holland, in 1654, Sir Walter Gilbey 
says : " It is only reasonable to suppose that he exercised equal 
care in painting horses. The strain of North German and 
Flanders blood was at this period so strongly represented in 
our English Great Horses of the best stamp that we need not 
inquire whether this horse was of German, Flemish, or English 
origin, the character of all being practically the same." Thus 
no doubt the early Shire was of very mixed breeding. 

Robert Bakewell improved the Shire during the latter part of 
the eighteenth century, though it was then known as the Leices- 
tershire Cart Horse. Bakewell was one of the earliest important 
improvers of the English Shire horse. He went to Holland and 
imported mares, using them in systematic crossing with Eng- 
lish stallions. He pursued a careful course of selection and 
added to the value of the breed. It was during this century that 
this class of horses came into use for draft and farming purposes, 
the coat of armor having become obsolete. With the improve- 
ment of roads and the use of coaches the draft horse came into 
special demand. Gilbey, in his interesting historical work on 
The Great Horse, gives copies of pictures of Shire horses : 
one, the horse Elephant, by an unknown artist about 1792 ; 
another, a gelding in use by a brewery in 1792, painted by 
Garrard ; and a third, of two horses, Pirate and Outlaw, painted 
in 18 10 by Zeitter. These horses are all of draft character, with 
hairy legs, mane, and tail. 

The old-fashioned type of Shire was large, coarse, and slow. 
They had big heads, coarse ears, and their thick lips had long 
hairs on them. The shoulders were heavy, the legs hairy, and 
the pasterns straight. Their action was sluggish, but their tem- 
perament was mild. Excess of hair seemed a characteristic, as 
based on some of the pictures extant. In 1842 Low wrote : 

The modern English black horse retains the general characteristics of 
the preexisting race, but greatly modified. His color is usually a sooty 
black, with frequently a white lozenge-shaped mark on the forehead ; and 



126 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

he has very generally one or more of the feet and part of the legs, and not 
unfrequently the muzzle, white. His body is massive, compact, and round ; 
his limbs are stout, his chest is enormously broad, and his neck and back 
are short. His mane is thick and somewhat frizzled, and his legs below 
the knee and hock are hairy down to the heels. His whole aspect conveys 
the idea of great physical power without corresponding action. The main 
defects of this conformation and temperament are his too great bulk of body 
and want of action and mettle. For a pull with a heavy weight he is admirable. 

Different varieties of the Shire formerly existed in England ; 
some have said two, others three. In the first Shire Studbook 
Dr. Reynolds groups the breed into three varieties, viz. : 

( 1 ) Those havingthe upper lip garnished with a long, thick moustache, con- 
sidered at one time a distinguishing characteristic of the Lincolnshire horse. 

(2) Horses having the lips, muzzle, and eyelids destitute of the hair. 
The skin in these places is either entirely bald or covered with exceedingly 
fine down, is almost invariably flesh colored, and is sometimes marked with 
small dark spots and blotches. These are termed bald horses or bald faced. 

(3) Those having a long tuft of hair growing from tlie front of each 
knee, and rarer examples having also a similar growth from the hind part 
of the hock, just below its point. This is quite different from the ordinary 
hair on the back of the cannons. 

It is also to be noted that in the past the horses in some 
counties of England have differed from those of other coun- 
ties. However, modern effort on the part of breeders has 
resulted in producing a more uniform type. Within very recent 
years Alexander Galbraith, an excellent authority, has said 
that the type that won at the London show twenty years ago 
would have no chance now. Greater refinement, better bone, 
more action, and perhaps less hair arc demanded. 

The modern Shire horse is an improvement over the horse of 
fifty years ago. The features of large size, hairy legs, and draft 
type have been maintained, but the modern Shire has more 
action and life, possesses more quality and finish, and has more 
uniformity of type than had his ancestors. The English breeders 
recognized the need of improvement of their draft horse, empha- 
sizing quality, action, flat bone, and uniformity. In recent times 
this improvement has been greatly aided by the Shire Horse 
Society and the comparisons possible through the exhibitions of 
this society at Islington. Sir Walter Gilbey, a i)rominent breeder 
and horse student, has been a leader in this work. 



THE SHIRE 



127 



Important Shire stallions of breeding fame in England seem 
to date back to about 1755. 

Packitigton Blind Horse, said to have been foaled about r 760, 
is recognized as a prepotent force in early days in the counties 
of Leicester and Derby. 

Honest Tom (1062), foaled in 1806 in Lincolnshire, was a 
prominent sire in his day and his descendants proved his merit. 




Fig. 46. Blythwood Conqueror (14997), a Shire stallion of great merit, 
representative of the best type. Famous in England as a sire and show 
horse. Owned by Sir Walter Gilbey, Bart. Photograph from the owner 



This horse at five years of age sold for 300 guineas (^i 500). He 
was also known as Old Tom, alias Little David, alias Old David. 

Jo/in Bull (1 169), for a time owned by gypsies, also proved a 
valuable sire in early days. 

LincolnsJiirc Lad H (1365), foaled in 1872, a gray in color, is 
one of the best known modern sires of show-ring winners. He 
stood 17 hands high, had an excess of hair, was somewhat lack- 
ing in depth of body, but had much ambition and courage and 
proved a great breeder. 



128 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

Honest Tom (1105), foaled in 1865, a bay, was owned for 
many years by Mr. T. H. Miller, of Lancashire, England, He 
won first prize each year from 1867 to 1872 at the Royal Agri- 
cultural Society of England shows, as well as at numerous others. 
Some of his progeny also proved noteworthy show animals. 

William the Conqueror (2343) was foaled in 1 862 in Nottingham 
County.- He was a brown in color, a winner of some prizes in 
the show ring, and was the sire of Prince William (3956), Esquire 
(2774), and Staunton Hero (2918), all noted stallions. 

Bar None (2388), a bay, foaled in 1877, was bred by Thomas 
Holmes of Yorkshire. He won the Shire Society championship 
in 1882. He attained great success in the stud, transmitting 
superb quality and high-class legs. 

Premier {26^6), a bay, foaled in 1880, was bred by John Fisher 
of Lancashire. His sire, What's Wanted (2332), was a well- 
known show and breeding animal. Premier proved a quite suc- 
cessful sire of prize-winning animals at the Shire Society Show. 

Harold {3703), a brown, foaled in 188 1, bred in Derbyshire, 
won numerous important prizes in the show ring. He was very 
meritorious as a sire, transmitting to his offspring size, excellent 
bone, and plenty of energy. He was sired by Lincolnshire Lad H 
(1365), previously referred to. 

BlytJnvood Conqueror (14997), foaled in 1893, was bred by 
Sir James Blyth. He was sired by Hitchin Conqueror (4458) 
and had for dam Blythwood Bountiful (i 1607). Blythwood Con- 
queror is a fine representative of the modern Shire. He has 
attained considerable distinction as a sire of prize winners, nota- 
bly in the stud of Sir Walter Gilbey. 

Buiy Chief Victor (i 1 105), a black with white markings, was 
foaled in 1889. He was a horse of very superior conformation, 
was a great show animal and prize winner and a superior sire. 
In 1 89 1 he was sold to Mr. Wainwright for 2500 guineas ($12, 500), 
the highest price for a Shire up to that time. 

Prince William (3956), by WMlliam the Conqueror (2343), had 
for dam Lockington Beauty, by Champion (457). He was foaled 
in 1883 and died in 1905, aged twenty-two years. For twenty 
years he stood at the head of the stud of Lord Wantage. In 
1894 fifty-two animals sired by him sold at an average of $600. 



THE SHIRE 



129 



Hitchin Conqueror (4458) was foaled in 1883, being sired by 
William the Conqueror (2343). His dam was Flower, by Honest 
Prince (1058). Hitchin Conqueror sired many fine prizewinners 
and superior breeding animals. 

Shire characteristics of distinctive importance are as follows. 
In size this is the largest of the British draft breeds, and is 




Fig. 47. Souldem Scylax. Champion Shire stallion at the Royal Agricultural 
Society Show of England, 1904. Photograph from A^ational Stockman 
and Farmer 



excelled in zveight only by the Belgian. Stallions weighing from 
1800 to 2000 pounds are comparativ^ely common, massiveness 
having long been sought for by Shire breeders. In height the 
Shire stallion should stand close to 17 hands, although the aver- 
age is about two inches less. The eolor of this breed is some- 
what variable, though in recent years bays and browns have 
been most common, white markings on the face or forehead 



130 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

and on the legs below the knee or hock being characteristic. 
Gray, black, sorrel, chestnut, and shades of roan also prevail 
in a minor degree. The barrel of the Shire is larger and deeper 
than that of the Clydesdale, thus giving more weight. The legs 
are large and powerful and the bone fairly flat. British critics 
in the past have objected to frequency of round cannons, and 
flatter, stronger legs have become more common in recent years. 
The back of the cannon bones, knees, and hocks have long, flow- 
ing, fine hair in the best specimens of the breed. Excessive leg 
hair and heavy bone are objected to as indicating sluggishness 
and lack of quality, as compared with less hair and finer bone. 
The pasterns have been subject to criticism as being too short 
and not sloping enough, though modern types show improve- 
ment here. The/rr/ are large and inclined to be flat at the heel. 
The ]icad\\?i'?< a tendency to a Roman profile, while lack of breadth 
between the eyes is perhaps too common. The croup is long, 
broad, but not so level as with the Clydesdale, though the differ- 
ence is not great. The action is greatly improved over early 
days, nevertheless the Shire is more deficient in this feature 
than the other draft breeds, still preserving more or less of its 
early inherited sluggishness. 

Critics of the Shire in America have charged the breed with 
lack of action, with too hairy a leg, which will probably never 
be popular in this country, and with too flat a foot. This 
accounts for the limited number of Shires imported during 
recent years. 

Importation of Shires to America began many years ago, but 
just when the first of this sort came over cannot be absolutely 
stated. A horse named Tam worth, possibly of this breed, was 
brought from England to London, Ontario, Canada, in 1836. 
In 1847 another horse named King Alfred was imported. In 
1853 a Mr. Strickland brought a stallion known as John Bull 
from England to Aurora, Illinois, where he became well known. 
Several others were imported into northern Illinois not long 
after. George \\. Brown, long a prominent Shire breeder at 
Aurora, states that as far as he has been able to learn, the earliest 
advertisement of .Shires by any importer in Western agricultural 
papers was in ICS75. Along in the eighties many stallions were 



THE SHIRE 



131 



brought to America from England. Since then the number has 
greatly decreased. 

The use of the Shire in crossing on large mares is to be com- 
mended, if the stallion used presents quality of a proper sort, with 
a typical Shire conformation. In such crossing the chief objection 
will rest against the probable transmission of the hairy leg. 

The distribution of the Shire is general in English-speaking 
countries. In England it is the really great draft breed. In 
America the breed has been best known in Illinois, Indiana, 
Ohio, and the states of the upper Mississippi Valley, especially 
in the so-called corn belt. Shires have been exported from 
England to the continent of Europe, especially Germany, and 
to the Argentine Re- 
jniblic in South Am- 
erica and to Australia. 

Organizations to 
promote the Shire 
breed are not old. The 
English Cart Horse 
Society was organ- 
ized in 1878, essen- 
tially to promote this 
breed, but in 1884 it 
changed its title to that of the Shire Horse Society. Up to 
January i, 1905, this society has published over twenty volumes 
of studbooks, has registered many thousand animals, and has 
a very large and influential membership. The American Shire 
Association was organized in 1885 and has a comparatively small 
membership; and up to January i, 1905, has published four 
volumes of studbooks. 

The demand for the Shire in the city horse market is always 
good. The heavy weight of this breed, or of good grade 
progeny, makes it in active demand at all times for the heavy 
draft trade of cities. Very high prices have been paid for 
drafters of Shire breeding. In 1904 a grade Shire gelding of 
remarkable size and quality was sold on the Chicago horse 
market for $865, up to that time the highest price on record 
in this market for a draft gelding. 




Fig. 48. Placing awards mi ^^illl^- .n the Royal 
Show, England. Photograph by author 



132 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

The Shire in the show ring has not thus far received great 
attention in America. The shows of the Shire Horse Society 
in England, however, are very notable events. The twenty-sixth 
annual show of that society, in 1905, was the largest ever held, 
seven hundred stallions and mares having been entered. No 
such remarkable breed exhibition of horses has ever been held 
in America. All the horses shown are required to undergo a 
careful veterinary examination. 

Importers of Shires of prominence are not large in number. 
Alexander Galbraith of Wisconsin, George E. Brown, Burgess 
Brothers, and the Truman Pioneer Stud Farm of Illinois, and 
Bell Brothers of Ohio were prime and influential promoters of 
the breed years ago, and are more or less engaged in importing 
and breeding Shires to-day. 



CHAPTER XIX 

THE BELGIAN 

Belgium as a horse-breeding country has a reputation extend- 
ing back to remote times. Remains of the horse have been 
found in the cave dwellings of the Lesse and Meuse, showing 
the relationship of man to this valuable animal in that country 
in prehistoric times. Since the days of historical record the 
horse of Belgium has been famous. Diodorus Siculus, a Greek 
historical writer of the first century b.c, mentions that the 
Belgians were great judges of horses, and Caesar states that they 
were willing to pay high prices for a superior class of foreign 
horses. Tacitus, the historian and well-known writer of the first 
century a.d., commented on the extensive buying of horses from 
Belgium and the inability of the people to furnish as many as 
were desired. It has even been assumed that perhaps the greater 
part of the Roman cavalry consisted of Belgian horses. Up to 
about the sixteenth century horse breeding was an important 
industry in Belgium, but with the general introduction of gun- 
powder it is said that the use of the horse was largely relegated 
to agricultural pursuits, and Belgium lost her prestige as a horse- 
producing section. 

Modern horse breeding in Belgium is comparatively recent in 
its activity. The country suffered from revolution in 1830, and 
from then on for ten years the industry was seriously neglected. 
Government officials, however, had their attention directed to 
the loss to Belgian interests occasioned by this neglect, and in 
18 50 the government established a stud for stallions at Tervueren. 
Since that period much attention has been paid to the improve- 
ment of the draft horse in Belgium. 

The official draft horse society of Belgium (Le Cheval de trait 
Beige) was founded in 1886. The draft horse is the only race 
in Belgium officially promoted by the government, and this 

133 



134 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



society was organized to (i) encourage the breeding of native 
horses by the organization of annual national shows ; and (2) 
maintain a studbook of Belgian Draft horses. The studbook is 
published by a special commission appointed by the society. Up 
to 1904 there had been issued eleven volumes recording 12,630 
stallions and 2 1,767 mares. The large numbers of mares recorded, 
compared with stallions, is to be noted, a condition quite the 
reverse with draft-horse studbook registrations in the United 




h ic. 49. A typical IJelgian siaiiion. I'hotogniph inmi .\. \ an .-^ciieiie, 
Special Commissioner of Agriculture from Belgium to the Louisiana 
Purchase Exposition 



States. To promote the work of this society the government 
makes an annual grant of 30,000 francs ($5000). Besides this, 
since 1890 national premiums have been offered for the best 
stallions. This society has some eleven hundred members. 

The methods employed by the Belgian government to encourage 
horse breeding arc of special interest. Certain state regulations 
concerning the breeding of draft horses are subject to constant 
supervision. The sum of about 350,000 francs ($70,000) is 
annually expended in behalf of this work. This money is used 



THE BELGIAN 135 

to meet the expense of shows of foals and mares, which are 
fixed by provincial regulations and which occur in some forty- 
four different places. Stallions are also submitted for examina- 
tion at this time. At each of these shows two classes of prizes 
are awarded : (i) a first prize of 400 francs ($80) and a second 
of 300 francs for the first and second prize three-year-old stal- 
lions ; (2) a first prize of 550 francs ($110) and a second of 400 
francs for the first and second prize four-year-old or older stal- 
lions. Other smaller extra prizes may be awarded on stallions of 
rank subordinate to the first and second. 

To promote home horse improvement the examining com- 
mittee may award a maintenance bounty of 700 francs to the 
owner of each stallion not under four years old that has won a 
first prize at a previous annual show. A similar prize of 500 francs 
is awarded the owner of the stallion which has won for two years 
the second place in the class of stallions four years old or over. 
If the committee regards as of exceptional value a stallion that 
has won a maintenance prize, it may nominate him to compete 
for a bounty of 6000 francs ($1200) payable annually by fifths, 
so long as the horse remains approved by the committee and 
retains its value. At the end of five years the owner of such 
a stallion, if it remains approved, may continue to enjoy an 
annual maintenance of from 600 to 800 francs. In case a stallion 
that has received the 6000 francs bounty is sold to leave Belgium, 
the fifths already received by the owner must be returned to 
the treasury of the state. There is an annual competition in 
each province for stallions four years old or over that have won 
the above special prizes, at which they may compete for a first 
prize of 900 francs and a second of 700 francs. 

The examination of stallions usually occurs the sixth year, 
with a show of foals, and fillies of two and three years, and 
brood mares, when considerable prize money is awarded. Main- 
tenance bounties may also be awarded owners of the best mares 
in order to retain them in Belgium. 

Draft-horse shows in Belgium are held each year at Brussels 
in June. These are notable events, for here is the largest show 
of one breed that is made in Europe. In 1904 at this show there 
were nearly 800 entries representing 264 stables. While the 



136 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

exhibits come from all over Belgium, the most important ones in 
recent years have come from Brabant and Hainaut and the prov- 
inces of Liege and Namur. Numerous agricultural associations 
also hold exhibitions in Belgium, at which local horses are shown. 
The history of the Belgian Draft horse in America is compara- 
tively brief. Dr. A. G. Van iioorcbeke of Monmouth, Illinois, 
brought horses to this country from Belgium as early as 1866, 




Fig. 50. Babette. A typical Belgian mare. Fhotogiaph from A. Van Schelle, 
Special Commissioner of Agriculture from Belgium to the Louisiana Pur- 
chase E.xposition, 1904 

when they were designated as Boulonnais. The incorrect use of 
this word, however, was recognized after a few years, when the 
correct title of Belgian was given. Massion & Son of Mintonk, 
Illinois, were also early importers. In 1858 Mr. E. Lefebure 
came to America from Belgium and settled in Iowa, and from 
1888 till his death in 1905 he was one of the leading promoters 
of the breed in this country. 

Exhibitions of Belgians in the United States are comparatively 
recent. Small exhibits have attracted attention at the Chicago 



THE BELGIAN 137 

horse show and at some of the central West fairs during the 
past twenty years, but it is only very lately that general interest 
has been taken in tiie breed. A small show of Belgians was made 
at the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893 at Chicago by 
A. B. Holbert, Van Volsen Bros, and Vanderschuerm, Lefebure 
& Sons of Iowa, and J. Crouch & Son of Indiana. During the 
past two or three years interest in the breed has greatly grown, 
and at the International Live Stock Exposition at Chicago in 
1903 there were shown twenty aged stallions, while in 1905 a very 
large and creditable show was made. In all the exhibitions, how- 
ever, but very few mares are found ; in fact, there are but very 
few pure-bred Belgian mares in America. 

The American Association of Importers and Breeders of Belgian 
Draft Horses was organized in 1877, and works in harmony 
with the Belgian society. Thus far it has published but one 
studbook, issued in 1905. 

Characteristics of the Belgian Draft horse. The general con- 
formation is of the most compact form, this breed having a 
maximum of weight within a given space. The body is very full 
in the breast and unusually broad and deep of back, no breed in 
proportion to its size showing so much body girth. Symmetry 
of form is not as frequent as could be wished, owmg to a rather 
characteristic steepness and shortness of rump extremely com- 
mon with Belgians, with the tail set rather low. The Jiead shows 
considerable refinement, and is carried with spirit on a short, 
symmetrical neck. The head, neck, and rump rather suggest the 
French breeds in style and carriage. The legs of the Belgians 
are devoid of long hair and are notably short. Compared with 
an ordinary draft horse one is impressed by the closeness with 
which the body comes to the ground. W'hile the legs may not 
be open to objection, frequently there is a tendency to too much 
lightness of bone and lack of substance to support the body 
weight and withstand the severest of labor. Neither do the 
hocks show great depth and strength as frequently as is desir- 
able. An important criticism of the breed by Americans has been 
directed to \\\q feet. These tend to be small and lack in circum- 
ference at the crown, besides being high and narrow at the heel. 
Probably no class of draft horses brought to America has the 



ivs 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



feet so severely criticised as does the Belgian. If one may judge 
from the specimens exhibited in America, there is reason in this 
objection. In action the Belgian is somewhat slow, though some 
remarkable actors have been seen in our shows. Omer, the cham- 
pion of the International Live Stock Show of 1903, imported by 
McLaughlin Brothers, has a stride and style most unusual in a 
draft hor.se of any breed. In color the chestnut is the most 




Fig. 51. Omer 7269. A promineiU prize-winning Belgian stallion, imported and 
exhibited by McLaughlin Bros., Columbus, Ohio. First in class and grand 
champion of the breed in 1903 at International Live Stock Exposition. 
Photograph by author 

popular, although bays, bay browns, and roans are more or less 
frequent. Grays are not in favor either at home or abroad. The 
Jicight and weight vary. M. Albert Van Schelle, the special 
commissioner from Belgium in charge of the exhibit of Belgian 
Draft horses at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis 
in 1904, classes the horses of Belgium into three types accord- 
ing to the sections of the country to which they belong. Those 



THE BELGIAN 



139 



from Flanders range in height from 164 to 17 hands or more, 
and the stalHons weigh about 2000 pounds. Those from Brabant 
stand 154 to 164 hands, and the stalhons weigh about 1600, 
while those of the Ardennais stand from 15 to 15^ hands in 
height and weigh about 1200 pounds. In temperament the 
Belgian draft horse stands without a superior, due no doubt to 
being raised in a country having small farms, and in close con- 
tact with the everyday life of the people. As the author saw 
these horses at work on the streets of Antwerp and on the farms 
of Belgium he was impressed with their docility of temper and 
their great draft power. Certainly the typical draft horse of 
Belgium possesses the weight so essential to move great loads 
with the least exertion. 

The cross-bred Belgian has as yet been but little seen in the 
United States, but he has met with a favorable reception where 
produced. A few years ago a consignment of grade Belgian 
drafters, the product of pure-bred stallions on native mares, was 
sold at auction in Chicago market at from $200 to $335 per 
head, and received much favorable comment. The writer has 
seen numerous grade geldings shipped to Ohio feeders from the 
West, which have presented a most attractive individuality. 
Ohio shippers are looking with more and more favor on heavy 
Belgian geldings as quite satisfactory to the city trade. They 
seem to be reasonably sound of limb and possess the blocky 
form and weight so much in demand for heavy hauling. 

The distribution of Belgian Draft horses is very widespread. 
Germany is a prominent buyer, while England, Holland, Sweden, 
France, Denmark, Austria, and the United States have buyers 
in the Belgian market. In 1903 more than three hundred were 
shipped to the United States At the 1904 Brussels show an 
official representative of the Hungarian government purchased 
ten stallions, including six first-prize winners. In the United 
States the Belgian has been longest known in Iowa, Illinois, and 
Indiana. Stallions and grades are, however, becoming distributed 
over the Mississippi Valley states north of the Ohio, wherever 
the heavy draft horse is needed. 



CHAPTER XX 

THE SUFFOLK 

The native home of the Suffolk, or Suffolk Punch horse, as it 
has been known, is in Suffolk County in the eastern part of Eng- 
land. This county is flat in character with clayey soil, is gen- 
erally cultivated, borders on the seashore, and comprises about 
fifteen hundred square miles. The breed is also more or less 
raised in P^ssex and other eastern counties, while specimens are 
found in other parts of England to a slight extent. 

The early career of the Suffolk horse traces clearly back to 
about 1700. While Normandy horse stock has been assumed 
by some as playing an early part in the formation of the breed, 
no positive information exists on this point. In purity of blood 
it is believed that the Suffolk surpasses any other breed in Great 
Britain. The general evidence, as given by various authorities, 
indicates that for several centuries this breed has been bred in 
Suffolk with much purity. 

The pure-bred Suffolk foundation really dates back to a horse 
of unknown sire, foaled in 1768, known as the " Crisp horse," 
being owned by a Mr. Crisp of Ufford, Sussex. To this horse 
are traced all pedigrees of the breed that may be registered in 
the studbook of either England or America. This history has 
been clearly and fully traced, and stands accepted by breeders 
universally. The Crisp horse was a bright chestnut in color, 
stood 15^ hands high, and proved a remarkable breeder. In the 
development of the Suffolk since his time four attempts have 
been made to introduce foreign blood and thus improve the 
stock. In no case, however, has this blood held its own, but has 
been completely absorbed and the breeding lost. 

The foreign blood used to improve the Suffolk was as follows : 

I. The Blake strain. This came from the use of a Lincoln- 
shire trotting horse with no Suffolk blood, known as Blake's 

140 



THE SUFFOLK 



141 



Farmer. This strain was in existence from 1780 to 1880, and at 
one time was very popular. 

2. The Wright strain. This originated from a horse from 
Lincohishire known as Wright's Farmer's Glory, or the Attleboro 
horse. He was a chestnut, clean limbed, and may have been a 
half-bred Suffolk. This strain existed from 1800 to about 1880. 

3. SJiadingfitId strain. This came from the produce of a 
trotting horse, the son of a Thoroughbred, and he also was a 




Fig. 52. A first-prize Suffolk stallion at the Royal Show, London, Eng- 
land, 1904. Photograph from William Cooper & Nephews, Berk- 
hamsted, England 

chestnut. This strain existed for about half a century, the last 
being foaled in 1846. 

4. Martin s Boxer strain. This appeared to be a Suffolk, though 
he was not, being out of a "black blood mare." This strain never 
obtained any foothold beyond two mares of remote breeding. 

These strains were all started to improve the breed, but they 
presented deficiencies ; neither could they overcome the predom- 
inant Suffolk blood and character. 

The history of the modern Suffolk horse is essentially a most 
comjiact one. It deals with the development of the breed mainly 
in Suffolk and vicinity by the farmers generally, and is very 
well connected, largely due to the far-reaching investigations of 



142 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

Herman Biddcll, the editor of the first Suffolk Studbook. Among 
the horses of the last century that had much influence on the 
development of the breed are Edward's Old Briton 490, Catlin's 
Duke 296, Crisp's Fairhead's Boxer 405, Julian Boxer 755, Crisp's 
Cupbearer 1416, Garrett's Cupbearer the third, and Foxhall. The 
latter was imported to America by Galbraith Bros. 

The history of the Suffolk horse in America is rather re- 
stricted, these horses being comparatively unknown in the United 
States in the early eighties. In 1882 the editor of the National 
Live Stock Journal \\ro\c: " If some of these Suffolk horses could 
be imported and bred alongside of the Shire and Clydesdale, it 
would give an opportunity to see what would prove the best for 
American purposes." In 1883 this same journal states that 
Suffolks arc finding great favor in Canada. However, Powell 
Brothers of Pennsylvania imported the first stallions to the 
United States in 1880. In 1888 Galbraith Brothers, of Janes- 
ville, Wisconsin, made their first importation of stallions, while 
the same year Peter Hopley & Company, of Lewis, Iowa, im- 
ported the first mares. At the present time Galbraith & Son 
and Peter Hopley & Son are the leading breeders and ex- 
hibitors of Suffolks in the United States. At the World's 
Columbian I^xposition at Chicago in 1893 a few Suffolks 
were exhibited, mainly by Peter Hopley & Company, although 
B. Ramsey of Iowa and Mossom Boyd & Company of Canada also 
exhibited. In 1903 forty-one head were imported to America. 
A few Suffolk horses are now being imported, but the breed as 
yet is but little known, and does not meet with rapidly growing 
favor. At the 1904 International Live Stock Exposition an 
exhibit of about a dozen Suffolk stallions and mares was made 
by Peter Hopley & Son, the firm name being changed. 

Characteristics of the Suffolk horse. This breed has long pos- 
sessed certain distinctive features, quite marked in contrast with 
other breeds. The following are worthy of special consideration. 

The Suffolk has a tendency to small ears, the forehead is 
broad, and the eyes are of medium size and only fairly prominent. 
The nose tends to Roman form, which has been rather char- 
acteristic of the breed. The jaws are rather strong and the 
cheeks deep and full. The nirk has something of an arch, — in 



THE SUFFOLK 



H3 



fact with stallions this is very pronounced, — with not too much 
heav^iness at the crest. The neck sometimes joins the head a bit 
heavily, but at the shoulders, as a rule, it is well placed. The 
s/iou/t/er should be long but not extremely oblique. A race-horse 
placing of shoulder is not desired among Suffolk breeders, a 
straighter shoulder being better suited to draft work. The dody 
of this breed is one of its notable features. It has long been 
characterized by great depth and circumference, considering the 
size of the horse. The ribs have an unusual spring and depth, 
thus giving the body a very round, full form. Formerly this was 
unnecessarily deep and round, giving it a paunchiness from which 
the term "Punch" was evolved and given as a part of the breed 
name. Modern breeders object to heaviness of belly. For size 
the body girths unusually well. A girth of about eight feet back 
of the shoulders is recommended. The rump is full and well 
carried out, the tendency to steepness being slight. 

Strong quarters and hocks are a feature of the breed, but there 
has been some criticism of weak hocks. One family, Catlin's Boxer 
299, has had this feature of bent hind legs and weak hocks, and 
Crisp's Conqueror 413 and Cupbearer 416, famous sires as they 
were, had a tendency to this trouble. The legs of the Suffolk are 
very free from superfluous hair, and while they have been criticised 
as lacking in bone, the breeders insist that this is not so. If fairly 
compared with the long-haired breeds, they maintain that plenty 
of bone will be manifest. Yet the bone is not large, but of supe- 
rior texture. A girth of \oh inches below the knee is given by 
Mr.Biddell as ample, more being thought unnecessary. The feet 
of this breed have been criticised much in the past. The middle 
of the last century it was claimed that the feet were flat and the 
hoofs brittle, and that side bones were common. Now for years, 
however, by rules of the Suffolk society, all horses shown must 
be submitted to a veterinarian's examination, which has resulted 
in a great improvement. In 1880 A. B. Allen wrote : 

The reason why they have not long since been imported and bred exten- 
sively in our country is undoubtedly owing to their possessing almost unu- 
sually too small legs for their bodies, their bad hoofs, and shelly feet. I 
examined this breed very attentively when I first visited England in 1841, 
. . . but finding them so deficient in the feet and legs, I made up my mind 
not to recommend their importation to this country. 



144 '^'^^'^ HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

In 1893 Professor Robert Wallace, the Scotch authority, 
stated that "at one time they were flat-footed and liable to 
become lame if worked regularly on the hard road or on stone 
pavements, but the care bestowed upon breeding has in recent 
years eliminated this defect among animals of the first rank." 

The quality and action of* the Suffolk rank well. The breed 
cannot be classed as coarse, while in action it stands next to the 
Clydesdale among the draft breeds. Wallace states that they 
twist their legs and feet when moving, but this does not apply 
to-day as much as it may have formerly. The JicigJit ranges 
from 16 to 17 hands, though 16 to 160 is more common. In 
fact this breed should be short of leg and close to the ground, 
though the Suffolks the author has seen in this country have 
shown considerable height and weight. The zvcigJit should not run 
high, 1 800 to 1900 pounds being ample. Greater weights than this 
are obtained, but they are not most typical ; for example, (ial- 
braith gives 1800 to 2200 pounds, but this brings him uj) to a 
horse of large size among the draft breeds, a thing never claimed 
by Suffolk breeders. The Suffolk should not be as large as 
Clydesdale or Shire, and is not bred for the heavy draft work of 
the city, but for farm purposes, where less weight is required. This 
is generally conceded by advocates of the breed. The colo7- is a 
Suffolk characteristic, for it is always a chestnut, varying from 
a bright to a dark shade. This has always been a breed feature, 
no other color being allowed. Biddell allows for seven shades, 
a bright one being considered most desirable, with mane and 
tail of same color. Some have favored the dark shade, but it is 
not generally recognized as desirable. A light, mealy chestnut 
is quite condemned, as indicating weak constitution, soft legs, 
and slow temperament. White hairs to a slight extent in the 
body color may be permitted, but are not desired. 

The Suffolk as a draft horse ranks high among the farmers of 
eastern England. It is considered capable of doing a ma.ximum 
amount of labor on a less amount of feed and for longer periods 
than other drafters. This is the opinion of the people of Suffolk, 
however. Its steadiness and persistence at pull has long made 
the breed famous, but this same characteristic is probably 
equally well established with other breeds. 



THE SUFFOLK 



H5 



The distribution of Suffolk horses is extremely widespread, in 
fact more so than is commonly supposed. They have been ex- 
ported to the Argentine, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, France, 
Austria, Germany, Sweden, Russia, South Africa, and the Nile 
region of Africa. In Canada and the United States they have 
no great foothold, but are scattered over these countries in a 
small way. In this country up to this time they have been best- 
known in Iowa. In 1904 a small stud of these horses was pur- 
chased of Hopley & Son for the Mt. Hermon Boys' School in 
Massachusetts, and this same firm in 1905 made shipments to 
Washington and Oregon. They report an increasing interest 
in the breed. 

The value of the Suffolk horse crossed on common drafty mares 
has hardly been tried on an extensive scale. Alexander Galbraith 
states that the grades from native American mares have good 
size and bone, while they are particularly smooth-built and are 
almost invariably chestnut in color. They make high-class 
animals for heavy farming and express-wagon work. 

The fecundity and longevity of Suffolks is highly attested. 
Numerous cases are given to show that the breed is very pro- 
lific and tenacious of life. The dam of Webb's Rising Star 1266 
was twenty-two years old when he was foaled, and the dam of 
Loft's Cupbearer 842 had sixteen foals in sixteen years. A 
mare and foal were shown at one of the early Suffolk Agricul- 
tural Association shows, the mare being thirty-seven years of 
age when the foal was dropped. The great stallion Julian Boxer 
755 traveled at least twenty-five seasons and left a large num- 
ber of superior sons and daughters. 

The Suffolk Studbook is published by the Suffolk Studbook 
Society in England. Volume I was issued in 1880. Up to 
January, 1905, this association had published fourteen volumes. 
There is an American Suffolk Horse Association, but as yet no 
studbook has been published. 



CHAPTER XXI 



PONIES 



A standard height for a pony does not obtain, but the line 
between a true pony and a horse is drawn at 14^ hands, any- 
thing over this passing out of the pony class. 

The polo pony is not a breed, but represents a type and size 
suitable to be used in playing polo. For this purpose anything 
possessing the necessary speed, activity, endurance, and intelli- 
gence will do. The maximum height allowed by the American 
Polo Association is 14.J hands. Small Thoroughbreds, Western 

ponies, and cross or half breds 
are p()i)ular. 

The Welsh pony is a class 
that has long been bred in 
Wales and is now receiving 
more recognition than ever be- 
fore. They have been some- 
what improved by Arab and 
Thoroughbred blood in the 
past, and so often show the 
influence of superior breeding. 
These ponies, however, offer 
considerable variation, and 
even among the people of 
Whales are not altogether re- 
garded as a breed. In Wales 
and western England one will 
see these ponies in various 
sizes and types. In 1897, the writer visited one of the largest 
studs in W'ales, where many fine ponies were shown, but where 
considerable difference of tyj^e was to be seen. In Wales there 
is a Welsh Pony and Cob Society for promoting and registering 

146 




Fic. 53. A typical Welsh pony, bred by 
John Jones, Llandudno, Wales. From 
photograph by author 



PONIES 



147 




these smaller types of Welsh horses. This society divides these 
ponies or small horses into four groups as follows : 

1. Welsh vwiintain pony. Height not to exceed I2i hands. 
Color of any sort. In type this resembles a small Arabian, pos- 
sessing much the same character and carriage of head, rump, 
and tail. It is found in the more hilly sections, and has great bone 
and superior muscle and en- 
durance. No doubt it was 
originally improved by Arab 
stallions. 

2. Should range from \2\ 
to 131 hands, is of the cobby 
type, and is not as well adapted 
to mountain lands as the pre- 
ceding. In harness both 
classes i and 2 make a very 
sliowy appearance. 

3. Should range from 13^ 
to 14.1 hands. This comes 
into the cob class, a blockier 
sort than i and 2. 

4. Should range from over 14.V to not more than 15}, hands. 
Those in this class are suited to mounted infantry or cavalry 
service. Ponies of classes i and 2 are freely used in Wales, 
where, attached to really heavy carts, they trot across country at 
remarkable speed. 

Welsh ponies have been used in America for many years, but 
are now attracting more attention than ever. They possess 
more style, action, and size than the Shetland, and are suited 
to either saddle or harness. A good specimen of the breed 
should at least show plenty of speed and forcible knee and hock 
action. Owing to their general activity and endurance they 
find favor for polo playing. 

The Exmoor pony has long been known on the moors of 
southwestern England in Devonshire. Here on some twenty 
thousand acres, these ponies have been bred more or less 
wild for perhaps centuries. This breed has been classed as 
the highest type of pony, closely resembling the Arab in 



Fig. 54. Lady White, a Welsh pony mare. 
First at the Royal Show, Manchester, 
England, 1897. A winner of many prizes. 
Owned by John Jones. Photograph by 
the author 



148 nil': HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

conformation. Captain \V. C. Kerr describes the breed in part 
as follows : 

The true Exmoor pony is a strong, well-knit, i3-to-i4-hand animal of 
tlie dray-horse sort in miniature type . . ., sure-footed, docile, generally 
hay in color, and possessing an iron-clad constitution. ... His salient 
points are strength of loin, well-sprung ribs, great breadth of chest ; in 
fact, he is what your people would term a "chunky" little fellow. . . . All 
are natural fencers, and the way they surmount the tremendous banks is 
marvelous. I ought to mention that their heads are very neat and blood- 
like, in some cases very Arab-like ; they carry their tails gayly, have a little 
silky hair about the heels, but, like all our ponies, are often faulty about 
the shoulders. 

Exmoor ponies have been considerably improved by Arab and 
Thoroughbred blood. The improved form meets with favor for 
polo playing, for use with children in saddle, and as a harness 
pony for cart, phaeton, or other light vehicle. There are but 
few Exmoor ponies in America. 

New Forest and Dartmoor ponies have been known for centu- 
ries in south England. Dartmocjr is an extensive tract of land in 
Cornwall, embracing about three hundred and twenty-five square 
miles. Here ponies have been bred and have run wild for many 
generations. The New Forest embraces about one hundred and 
forty-five square miles of fields and forest in south-central Eng- 
land, where ponies also have run wild for centuries. These ponies 
belong to the same class as the Exmoor, and have been more or 
less improved by Arab and Thoroughbred blood. A New Forest 
Pony Association has existed in England for some years. 

The Arab pony is simply an Arab under I4:|^ hands high, and 
is discussed elsewhere as a separate breed. 

Indian ponies, mustangs, or bronchos are descendants of the 
horses brought to America by the early Spanish conquerors. 
They often possess much beauty of form and high-class heads 
and limbs. They have remarkable endurance and are capable 
of the severest work under the saddle. They vary somewhat in 
type, those owned by northern Indians not being the equal in 
quality and conformation of those of the south. Those of the 
Apache Indians are said to greatly resemble Exmoor ponies. 
Indian ponies are of all colors, usually solid, though piebalds 



PONIES 



149 



occur. They tend to be ewe-necked, are often deficient in quar- 
ter, and hav^e a remarkable spirit, which is frequently far from 
amiable. Many of these ponies, with all their other good quali- 
ties, are most uncertain of temper and may prove very irritating 
when least expected. Curtis makes the mustang and Indian 
pony of different breeding, though they range the same in height 




Fig. 55. Dilham Prime Minister (5174). The most famous Hackney pony in 
America, noted as a prize winner and a sire. Imported and owned by Eben 
D. Jordan, Boston, Massachusetts. From photograph from Mr. Jordan 



(12 to 14 hands), weigh much the same (600 to 850 pounds), and 
have much the same color. The Indian pony is given as more 
blocky than the mustang, the cannons are wider and the pasterns 
more upright. 

Hackney ponies are Hackneys 14] or less hands high, with 
the general characteristics of the Hackney horse. 



CHAPTER XXII 

SHETLAND I'ONY 

The native home of the Shetland pony is on a group of rocky 
islands about 200 miles north of Scotland. These lie between 
59° and 61° north latitude, slightly to the east of north, and 
comprise a total of about 1 20 islands, with a total area of some 
500 square miles. Only about fifteen of these islands are inhab- 
ited. The principal island is Mainland on which is located Lerwick, 
the largest town and port with about 3700 inhabitants. Other 
important islands are Fetlar, Bressay, Fair Isle, Yell, and Unst. 
These islands are rough and barren as a rule, and are situated 
in a turbulent sea, under unfavorable climatic conditions, where 
a comparatively low temperature prevails for much of the year. 
No trees or brush of significance grow on the islands, and what 
land is cultivated lies in the valleys. On the islands the ponies 
are fed grass and hay, not often receiving any grain, and it is 
said that sometimes they are even obliged to eat seaweed on 
account of shortage of hay. 

The ancestry of the Shetland pony is of course uncertain. The 
drawings of the prehistoric horse in the caves of France show 
considerable resemblance to the Shetland type, and it is sup- 
posed that they are descendants of this prehistoric form. How 
long they have been bred on the islands is not a matter of record, 
but they have been bred there for centuries. In their early his- 
tory they are doubtless more or less related to the ponies of 
Iceland and Scandinavia, and perhaps Wales and Ireland. 

The type of the Shetland pony is really that of a small draft 
horse, although many are seen that are fine of bone and slender 
of body, more after the trotting-horse type. However, the ponies 
on some of the Shetland Islands are of a different type from those 
on others. In fact, it is claimed that a different type is found on 
each of the following islands : South Mainland, Unst, Fetlar, 

150 



SHETLAND PONY 



151 



Fair Isle, and Bressay. For example, on Fetlar, Lady Nicholson, 
a Scotch breeder, has used Arab pony stallions on Shetland 
mares, producing a pony of considerable refinement about 46 
to 48 inches high. These are known in the trade as Fetlar or 
Lady Nicholson ponies. On Bressay, Iceland ponies have been 
crossed on Shetlands. Visitors to the islands have there seen 
work horses weighing from 120c to 1500 pounds, some of which 
have been bred to Shetland stallions. 

Characteristics of the Shetland pony. The JicigJit ranges from 
36 to 44 inches in choice specimens, but with variations outside 




Fig. 56. A pony mare in winter coat on one of the Shetland Islands. 
Photograph from John Anderson & Sons, Lerwick, Shetland 



of this. Fli Elliott of Iowa, who has bred and imported many from 
the islands, says : "I never saw in any country what I believed to 
be a 'right Shetland ' that was as much as 46 inches high. As 
a rule they are 40 to 43, and some as small as 36 to 38 inches, 
and the smaller the better." The smallest pony ever seen by 
Mr. Elliott was 34 inches high, weighing under 200 pounds. 
Feeding and care, however, will affect the height and weight. 
On the prairies of the American corn belt the pony tends to 
increase in size from generation to generation. In the American 



152 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

Shetland Pony Stitdbook quite a number of ponies ranging from 
30 to 16 inches have been registered. The American Shet- 
land Pony Club in its standard gives twenty-five out of a 
hundred points to height. Ponies over four years old should be 
42 inches and under, and two points are deducted for every inch 
over this up to 46, above which height they are disqualified. 
Catherine Sinclair, in SJietlatid and its Inhabitants, says that 
when well fed the ponies will reach the size of a donkey, and in 
contrast notes that a Mr. Hayes raised a perfectly formed pony 
only 20 inches high. As the Shetland is used to a considerable 
e.vtcnt in coal mines in England for hauling coal cars, a small pony 
is preferable to a large one. The weight of a good specimen of 
the breed may be about 350 pounds for one 40 inches high. 

The head of the Shetland should not be too fine, the eye 
should be prominent, the neck incline to be short and strong 
with some crest in stallions, the shoulders should be strong and 
drafty, the breast prominent and full, the body short in coup- 
ling, wide on the back, with considerable spring and depth of 
rib, the croup broad, fairly level, and wide, with the tail set high, 
the quarters full and strong, the legs short and of superior bone, 
though perhaps appearing heavy, and the feet round, dark, and 
of excellent bone. A long heavy coat of hair occurs on the body 
in cold weather, while at all times a long, heavy foretop, mane, 
and tail are characteristic. No breed of horses carries so much 
hair naturally as does the Shetland. If the pony is leggy and 
lacks in body, this will be due to Icelandic or other blood. Nar- 
row chests and cow hocks are far too common with specimens of 
the breed seen in America. The color \% quite variable, black, bay, 
and brown being common, but there arc gray, roan, and chest- 
nut, with combinations of white with all these colors. In fact 
piebald or spotted ponies are quite common. 

The improvement of the Shetland pony was begun in 1873 by 
the Marquis of Londonderry of England, who owns extensive coal 
mines. He purchased the island of Noss and part of Bressay, and 
maintained studs there and at Seaham Harbor on the northeast 
coast of England. The work of the Marquis of Londonderry 
resulted in greatly improving the uniformity of type and color, 
reducing size, but increasing bone without detriment to quality. 



SHETLAND PONY 



153 




The use of the Shetland in America is nearly exclusively for 
children, they not being generally regarded as beasts of burden. 
However, about Colum- 
bus, Ohio, where large 
numbers of these ponies 
are common, they are 
frequently seen in pony 
carts, phaetons, or small 
surreys, hauling two or 
four persons over the 
pavements with com- 
parative ease. Ponies 
for this heavier work 
aj^proximate forty-five 
inches or more in 
height. No breed equals 
the Shetland for chil- 
dren. The very univer- 
sal gentleness of these 
ponies makes them safe 
for small children to use with the greatest freedom in any way. 
Even when but two years old Shetlands may be used in a moder- 
ate way in the saddle by 
little children. Recently the 
demand for Shetlands has 
greatly increased. In 1905 
the largest importation ever 
made to America occurred 
in the bringing over from 
England of 201 head. 

The price paid for Shet- 
land ponies is naturally 
variable, but ranges from 
S75 upward. Choice stal- 
lions have sold at from $500 
to $1000 each. Mr. C. E. 
Bunn states in his catalogue that he refused $1500 for his 
champion stallion Chestnut 3572. The price is in some degree 



Fig. 57. (Jman yj). First-prize Shetland pony 
stallion at the Highland Show, Scotland, in 
1896 and 1897, and at the Royal Show in 1897. 
Also won the President's Medal for being the 
best specimen of the breed at the Highland 
Show. Bred by the Marquis of Londonderry. 
Photograph by the author 




l'i(i. 58. ilicUa. A Shcllaiul pony mare with 
foal, owned by the Marquis of London- 
derry, England. Photograph by the author 



154 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

affected by size, other things being equal, the smaller ones 
fetching the most money. 

Shetland ponies of special interest in America in recent years 
are Prince of Wales 1190, Chestnut 3572, Trinket loi, Trinket 
Jr. 1 187, and Bunn's Trinket 2598. From 1893 to 1901 Prince 
of Wales was the greatest show stallion of the breed in Amer- 
ica, while he also proved a great breeder, siring Chestnut 3572, 
also a great show and breeding horse. The Trinket family is 
spotted and numbers many fine specimens of the breed. 

Shetland pony organization in the United States is promoted 
by the American Shetland Pony Club, organized in 1888. Six 
studbooks had been published up to January, 1906, including the 
registration of 5700 animals. 



CHAPTER XXIII 

THE ASS 

The ancestry of the ass may be traced to the wild ass of Africa 
and Asia. The males are usually termed jacks and the females 
jennets. The following are the important species of the wild ass. 

TJic African wild ass {Eq?ius asinus). This species is found 
wild in Abyssinia, Nubia, and northeastern Africa between the 
Nile and the Red Sea. It is very similar to the domestic ass in 
color and markings, but has a distinct shoulder stripe extending 
from the withers to the arm of the fore leg. 

The Asiatic zvild ass {Eqiiiis hemionus). It occurs in Asia 
on extensive plains, from Syria through Persia, Afghanistan, the 
Punjab, and Tibet to the Chinese frontier. The general color is 
reddish gray, varying to fawn or pale chestnut. A dark brown 
stripe, sometimes with a white edge, extends along the spine from 
the back of the head to the tail. The ears was large, the tail is 
covered with short hair which increases in length to form a 
black brush, and the mane is erect. There are callosities on 
the fore legs but none on the hind. The height varies from 1 1 
to 12 hands. This ass is remarkable for speed and endurance. 
The voice is a shrieking bray. 

From the wild ass various breeds of the domestic ass have 
descended, ranging in size from those no larger than a New- 
foundland dog to the size of a draft horse. There are several 
breeds of importance, from which we in America secure the 
jackass, or jack, for mating to mares, and these will be discussed 
after first briefly referring to the domestic type. 

The characteristics of the domestic ass include several features 
not possessed by the horse. The female is pregnant fully twelve 
months, the horse eleven. The fore legs have callosities (chest- 
nuts) while the hind legs have none. The ears are very large 
and long, the foretop and mane is usually very scanty, and the 

155 



156 



THi': horsp:, ass, and mule 



tail has no long hair excepting at its lower part, which has a 
brush of hair. The body is often covered with long hair, in some 
cases showing remarkable length, while in other cases it is fairly 
short. The body is very compact, the quarters lacking deep 
muscling, while the legs are very strong of bone, often heavy of 
joint, with small, narrow feet. The ass makes a peculiar noise 
called a bray. The standard color in America is black, with a 
light creamy or mealy shade about the muzzle and along the 
belly. Gray occurs in this country, but does not meet with favor, 

and is not approved by the 
American Breeders' Associ- 
ation of Jacks and Jennets. 
The Andalusian jack is 
native to Andalusia in south- 
ern Spain, where it is an 
ancient breed. The color 
is gray, with rare cases of 
black. This breed has con- 
siderable size and stands 
14^ to 1 51^ hands high. The 
bone is excellent and the 
breed possesses much sub- 
stance. Sessions refers to 
one 155 hands high having 
a girth of 67 inches with 
the bone below the knee 
measuring 85 inches around. 
The head and neck are said to be very good. This breed and 
color have never been popular in America, although well scattered 
over the countr)-. 

The Maltese jack comes from the island of Malta in the 
Mediterranean Sea. This breed is either black or brown in color, 
and is of the smaller type, rarely exceeding 14^ hands. The 
head is of excellent form, with sharp, upright ears. The Maltese 
possesses much life and vigor, but is objected to on account 
of too fmc a bone and too much refinement, with not enough 
sub.stance. A larger type is in demand in the American trade, 
which restricts the importation of this breed. 




Fig. 59. Antar jr. 2\~. lii-i [ni/r two-year- 
old jack at the World's Columbian Expo- 
sition, Chicago, in 1893, '^'■''O first in class 
in 1897 at Illinois State Fair. Photograph 
by the author 



THE ASS 



157 



The Catalonian jack is a Spanish breed from Catalonia in 
extreme northeastern Spain, bordering on France. This is a 
black or brown breed with light points, black largely prevailing. 
The coat of hair tends to be thick and short. This breed stands 
from 14.1 to 15 and occasionally 16 hands high. From the stand- 
point of critics of this class of animals the Catalonian possesses 




Fig. 60. Dr. Ilartman. The leading prize-winning jack at the principal fairs 
in the blue grass region of Kentucky, and first in yearling class at Loui- 
siana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, 1904. Owned by J- F. Cook & Co., 
Lexington, Kentucky. Photograph from owners 



unusual style, beauty, and action. The head shows considerable 
character, and the ears are rarely droopy. While the bone is 
not so large as the Andalusian or Poitou, it is very superior 
in te.xture and free of fiesh, so that it is not objectionable. 
The Catalonian is also a wiry, tough type that matures early. 
This breed has been largely used as foundation stock for j^roduc- 
ing mules in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri, where it is 



158 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

yet in great favor. H. W. Session states that the produce of 
these jacks from 16 to 17 hands high, as seen in Missouri, 
Kansas, and the eastern United States, have much weight 
and substance and make the best mules in the world. They 
are quick, active, and good sellers, and mature early. 

The Majorca jack is a breed of more recent introduction to 
America from Majorca, one of the Balearic islands in the Medi- 
terranean Sea off the coast of Spain. This is a large sort of drafty 
type with heavy bone, averaging i 5 h hands high, standing per- 
haps a hand higher than the Catalonian. The head and ears are 
said to be conspicuously large, the latter being longer than those 
of any other breed and poorly carried. There is a lack of style and 
action with the Majorca, the tendency being to sluggishness. 
The breed has not attained popularity in America, and but few 
have been brought here. It has, however, met with considerable 
favor in Spain for producing artillery mules, and many of the 
jacks have been exported to South America. In its native home 
it has long been bred with much purity. 

The Poitou jack is a native of France, where for many centu- 
ries he has been bred, especially in the province of Poitou, border- 
ing on the Bay of Biscay. Here, in the departments of Vendee 
and Deux-Sevres, the Poitou ass is bred in his greatest perfection. 
This is the most powerful of the several breeds of asses. In 
general, they may be described as having an unusually big head, 
with large, long ears ; small mouth and nostrils ; thick, short 
neck; broad chest ; good-sized, long body; quarters rather spare; 
fore arm long but not thick, but knees and joints large ; hocks 
as big as those of a heavy draft horse ; bone large, many meas- 
uring nine inches around below the knee, but legs very short and 
superior ; feet large. The prevailing color is black with light 
points. Grays occur occasionally, but are not regarded with favor 
and are not eligible to registry in the French jack studbook. 
Much is said about the hairy development of the Poitou jack. 
He is covered with a profuse growth of long, silky hair, which 
adorns the ears, neck, and legs. The tail, which is rather short, 
is quite devoid of hair excepting at its lower part. In his native 
home, when in service, the Poitou jack is said to be a very unat- 
tractive beast, for he is never groomed or trimmed. In Poitou 



THE ASS 



159 



these jacks are bred to a very large, drafty, powerful type of 
mare, native to that region, from which are produced big mules 
of the most valuable kind. As yet jacks of this breed have not 
been brought to America to much of an extent, but they are 
generally regarded with favor wherever introduced. 

The desirable height for a jack depends upon the use. If to 
be mated to a mare, about 15 hands meets approval, while if for 
jennet service, a larger type is sought, ranging nearer 16 hands. 
In an examination of heights 
of jacks in the American 
jack studbook 100 individ- 
uals averaged 15.2 hands 
high, practically 15] hands. 
Of the first 100 registered 
whose height was given the 
lowest was 14 and the high- 
est 1 61 hands, but nine per 
cent coming within the 16- 
hands measure. Twenty- 
five Catalonian jacks had an 
average height of 15, and 
seven Majorca 15.2 hands. 
Fifty jennets showed an 
average height of 14.48 or 
I4i hands. Tegetmeier and Sutherland give the height of the 
Poitou jack as 13^ to 15, and of the jennets as 13 to 14 hands. 
In 1877 Richardson described the Poitou ass as standing from 
132 to I4t hands, while Sessions says they rarely exceed 14^ 
hands. The large jack of 16 hands or more is not desired, for 
he frequently breeds a leggy mule that does not weigh as well as 
those sired by a shorter-legged type of jack. The rules of the 
American Breeders' Association of Jacks and Jennets on the sub- 
ject of height are as follows : 

2. Up to January i, 1892, all jacks 141 and all jennets 14 hands high, 
standard measure, shall be eligible to registration, if black with light points. 

3. After January i, 1892, jacks and jennets of unrecorded sire or dam 
shall be eligible to registration only when black with light points, and of 
the following height, standard measure : 




Fig. 61. Lisa and foal. The first-prize Poitou 
jennet at Nantes, France, 1901. Notice the 
long, rough coat of hair. Photograph from 
James B. McLaughlin 



l6o THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

Imported jacks and jennets, the produce of unrecorded sire or dam, 15 
hands. 

Native jacks, the produce of unrecorded sire or dam, 15.1 hands. 

The introduction of the ass to America is said to date back to 
colonial times, when, soon after the Revolutionary War, the King 
of Spain sent as a gift to General George Washington, a Span- 
ish jack and jennet. In Washington's time some early interest 
was shown in breeding mules, as a result of this gift. Henry Clay 
is said to have imported some very fine Spanish jacks to Kentucky. 
From the Clay stock Kentucky obtained the start which has 
resulted in such fame for that state in mule breeding. One of 
the first imported jacks taken to Tennessee was imported about 
1840, and was taken to Maury County by a Mr. Thomas. About 
1867 or 1868 Messrs. A. C. F'ranklin and Tul Craig of Sumner 
County, Tennessee, imported some Catalonian jacks. About 
1882 Mr. Lyle of Kentucky imported some Andalusians from 
near Seville, and the same year Leonard Brothers of Missouri 
made a similar importation. Many importations from Spain, 
France, and the Balearic and Malta islands have been brought 
to America since 1884. 

High prices for jacks prevail to an extent not generally sup- 
posed. In France the Poitou ass brings a large figure, common 
ones selling close up to $1000 and the better class from $1500 
to $2000. At a recent Paris exposition one is reported selling 
at $3200. Paragon 63, imported from Catalonia in 1886, was 
sold for $2000. This same year an importation of Catalonian 
jacks was made to Tennessee, from which Jumbo sold for $2000, 
Peacock for $1500, Boyd's Monarch for $1500, and the Douglas 
jack for $1 150. P"rom another importation the jack King James 
sold for $2000. 

The American Breeders' Association of Jacks and Jennets was 
organized as a stock company at Springfield, Illinois, in 188S. 
Five volumes of stud books have been issued to 1906. The 
headciuarters of the association are in Tennessee. In France an 
association for registering jacks and jennets also exists. 



CHAPTER XXIV 

THE MULE 

The mule is not a true breed, as ordinarily considered, but is 
a hybrid. Its imj^ortance is so great, however, in certain sections 
of America that it is worthy of consideration as an important 
draft animal. 

The mule is a hybrid, having for sire a jackass, commonly 
termed a jack, and a mare for dam. If, however, a stallion be 
bred to a female ass, the result is a h}'brid, known as a hinny. 
This last union produces an offspring inferior to the mule in size, 
and in those qualities desired in a draft animal. The mule is 
sterile and will not breed, although several cases are on record 
of mare mules getting in foal and producing to a stallion. 

The mule in history has been known many centuries. No 
doubt it has been used more or less in Europe since the days 
before Christ. In the days of ancient Rome and Greece mules 
served various purposes. Varro, who wrote in the first century 
B.C., refers to mules in Roman agriculture, as does also Columella, 

The geographical distribution of the mule is widespread. He 
is especially bred in great perfection in Spain, France, Portugal, 
Italy, and certain sections of the United States and South 
America. Great Britain has never looked with favor on the 
mule. Sessions has recently written in The Live Stock Journal : 

The mule line extends north from the equator, and includes Africa and 
Europe up to 45 degrees of latitude and Asia and North America as far 
as the 35 degrees. On the south side of the equator we can include most 
of Africa, the northern half of Australia, and South America as far south 
as the 35 degrees. Within this vast radius hundreds of thousands of mules 
are bred each year. Many of the mules are big, heavy animals, -.vith great 
power and bone and stand 16 and 17 hands high. 

Mule raising in the United States began in colonial times. 
About 1787 George Washington was presented by the King of 

161 



l62 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



Spain with a jack, which was used in stud at Mount Vernon 
and sired mules that sold for upwards of ^200 each. The value 
of the mule as a draft animal was soon recognized by intelligent 
Southerners. Henry Clay in 1832 imported a jack from Spain 
to Kentucky for use on mares, and others followed his example. 
To-day, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, and Texas are the most 
important producers of mules, Missouri leading, with St. Louis 
the most prominent mule market in the world. 

The characteristics of the mule partake of both sire and dam. 
There is the long ear, slender body, tufted or slightly haired tail, 

and small, slender foot, 
and braying voice of the 
ass. These features seem 
to attach a peculiar char- 
acter to this non-breeding 
farm animal. Mules vary 
greatly in size and quality, 
naturally due to their 
parentage. Other things 
being equal, a large mule 
brings a higher price in the 
market than does a small 
one. Mules are sorted and 
classed for various pur- 
poses. The larger, heavier 
mules are used in city drayage and heavy draft work, or in lum- 
ber camps. A medium size is used on farms and in military serv- 
ice, while the smaller grades find places in mines and elsewhere. 
The market classification of mules usually includes five groups, 
which are as follows. 

I. Plantation Jiiulcs. These are of two classes, viz. sugar mules 
and cotton mules. In general, plantation mules represent the 
larger, heavier, better type. In the Chicago market a sugar mule 
stands from 16 to 16^ hands high and weighs from 1 100 to 1400 
pounds. On the Kansas City market the height is given at i 5 
to 16 hands. Sugar mules are by some placed in the highest 
class as regards quality and value. They must be smooth of 
finish, show refinement of head and neck, and have superior 




!>.. 1)J, .VII 111K1>L1J1I\ LIIOILU pun Ul .snow 

mules of Plantation or Sugar class, first-prize 
winners at Illinois State Fair, 1897. Photo- 
graph by the author 



THE MULE 163 

bone. Sugar mules bring the highest prices. Cotton mules on 
the Chicago market range from 14 to 15^ hands high and weigh 
from 900 to 1000 pounds. John Grant of the Kansas City yards 
is credited with stating that they range from 13 to 16 hands 
and that they are at the best age when from four to seven years 
old. In the Southwest cotton mules are very common. They 
arc not of so uniformly high quality as sugar mules, but must 
be smooth in finish. In bone they range from light to medium. 

2. Lit))ibcr mules stand from i5i to 17 hands high and are 
the largest, heaviest-boned, and most rugged sort. Capacity for 
hard work is regarded as more important than quality, and weight 
is essential in its application to hard pulling of logs. Very high 
prices are paid for lumber mule.s. 

3. Railroad vinlcs range from 15^^ to \6\ hands, and weigh 
from 1200 to 1500 pounds, as graded on the Chicago market. 
They must be of excellent quality and weigh somewhat less than 
lumber mules. They are used in grading and general hauling in 
railroad construction. 

4. Mine mules — of two kinds, known as pitters and surface 
mules — vary from 11 to 15^ hands high, and must be chunky 
and hardy, with heavy bone. Prices vary according to height, 
quality, and weight. In commenting on this class, Mr. John 
Grant further says : 

The miners are the liardest cla.s.s to supply. They must be either dark 
bay or black in color. White and sorrel mules are never used. When the 
mines have long shafts, as in the Pennsylvania coal regions especially, they 
say a white mule resembles a ghost and frightens the other mules beyond 
control. The pitters must be long in body, heavy-boned, and have good 
weiglit. They range from 12 to 15^ hands and bring from $135 to $200, 
while for any other trade they would bring $50 less. Surface mules are 
used on the long hauls on top of ground. They are heavy but taller, and 
have not such large bones. 

5. Levee mules are about the same as railroad mules, though 
of somewhat better quality. They are used near steamboats and 
docks for heavy work, especially in the South. They must be 
of a rugged sort, perfectly sound, and capable of hard work. 

The above classes vary somewhat in detail, according to the 
local markets, — St. Louis, Chicago, Kansas City, Louisville, or 



1 64 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

New Orleans, — each having more or less variation from any 
proposed general classification. 

The best type of mule must show the general excellent con- 
formation of the horse in symmetry of form. The body tends to 
be more cylindrical and smaller than in the horse, but a capacious 
body is desirable rather than otherwise, though paunchiness is 
objectionable. The nearer the general body conformation ap- 
proaches that of the superior draft horse, the more completely 
will the mule suit the demands of the critical trade. In the show 
ring those mules which meet with greatest favor possess the horse 
form in greatest degree. Legs of superior quality are fine and 
hard, the bone very smooth and dense, the tendons prominent, 
and the muscles well developed. The feet of the mule are smaller 
and longer than those of the horse, and the arch of the f(^ot is 
greater. In general, the mule is distinguished for superior feet 
and legs. 

The temperament of the mule is quiet and patient, while for 
steadiness under the collar and hard pulling he has no equal in 
the equine world. However, the mule should show an active 
temperament, with sprightly carriage and style. It has been com- 
mon to regard the mule as given to kicking, but this is not based 
on fact, for mules arc no worse than horses in this respect. 
Horses are more nervous and uncertain in temi^erament than 
mules, and are more subject to fright and consequent runaway. 

The color of the mule is variable, though brown and bay are 
the most common colors. Besides these, various shades of 
gray, white, black, sorrel or chestnut, and buckskin-yellow occur 
more or less. 

The endurance of the mule is remarkable. It is worked under 
the severest conditions, and shows great power of resistance to 
fatigue. Tegetmeier quotes from a Texas correspondent: 

Six mules, the leaders no larger than ponies, will take 6000 to 7000 
pounds anywhere, making fifteen to thirty miles a day according to the 
state of the roads, and I have known a team in summer driven fifty miles, 
with 1000 pounds a head of load, to reach water, and not appear to suffer. 

Mules usually live to a greater age than horses, and perform their 
work with regularity and on less feed, a most important point in 



THE MULE 165 

their favor. Cases are recorded of mules living to seventy 
years of age, and Mr. J. L. Jones refers to one in Tennessee 
that at thirty years of age was doing effective service attached 
to a reaper. 

The resistance of the mule to disease has been a frequent sub- 
ject of discussion. It is commonly claimed that the mule is not 
so generally subject to disease as the horse. Pomeroy in an essay 
on the mule credits this animal with freedom from any kind of 
disorder or complaint. In an investigation of "blind staggers" 
among horses in Virginia and North Carolina, conducted under 
the direction of United States Secretary of Agriculture Coleman, 
mules were found quite exempt from this disease, although they 
are credited with other maladies. In regions in the lower Missis- 
sippi Valley infested with buffalo gnats. Professor F. M. Webster 
reports the mule as the animal most subject to fatality from 
attacks of this insect. Southern-bred mules, however, are far 
less susceptible to the bites of the gnats than those imported 
from more northern localities. While the mule is not so subject 
to leg and foot diseases as is the horse, cases of spavin, ringbone, 
sidebone, and other troubles do occur. Corns are rarely found 
on the feet of the mule. Even when affected with foot or leg 
disease, this animal, as a rule, without doubt, is less disabled 
from work than is the horse. The resistance of the mule to dis- 
ease, its activity, sureness of foot, docility, and easiness of keep, 
have resulted in its finding much favor in the army service. 

The mule as a carriage or saddle animal is important in certain 
sections. In the Southern states he is thus used very commonly 
by negroes and the poorer classes of whites. In the central West, 
in states bordering the Ohio river, one occasionally sees gentle- 
men driving mules, either singly or in pairs, in harness, attached 
to carriages, the animals trotting with commendable speed. 

The Poitou mule is a famous French mule, the result of using 
the Poitou ass on a large type of French mares. There are two 
types of these mules bred in the Poitou region, a large and a small, 
but the larger type is in greater demand. The finest and largest 
cart mares are used for this production, the P'rench farmers 
making a business of producing this grade of mule. Besides size, 
Poitou mules are celebrated for the shortness and stoutness of 



1 66 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

their legs, with their superior bone and unusually large and 
finely formed feet. 

The sex of the mule has a bearing on its salability. Mare 
mules are preferred by buyers, feeders, and dealers generally, 
and sell more easily than horse mules. The females assume a 
matured form at an earlier age, and fatten best for the market. 
The horse or male mules have a more angular and leggy form, 
and cannot be fattened so early as the mares. One dealer in 
mules tells the author that horse mules in pasture with other 
stock will worry them, when the mares would not. The sexual 
organs of the mule are supposed to be incomplete, but several 
cases are on record where marc mules have become impregnated 
and produced young. Such cases, however, are remarkable and 
are not accepted as authentic by most scientists. 

The prices paid for mules vary, naturally, with the quality and 
character of the animals offered. However, the average farm 
price for mules is greater than for horses. On January i, 1905, 
the average farm price for horses in the United States was 
$yo.T,y, while for mules it was $87.18. In those markets where 
mules are important, very high prices rule, and a pair of heavy, 
matched mules of superior quality and conformation sell easily 
for $500 and upwards. The Poitou mule in France, rated the 
best in Europe, sells at $200 to $300 a head, and sometimes 
fetches $400. Large numbers of mules change hands at from 
$100 to $150 per head. In 1905 T/ie National Stockman and 
Farmer noted the sale in Kentucky of one pair weighing 3100 
pounds at $5 50 and of another pair of 2600 pounds weight at $450. 



REFERENCE BOOKS 167 



A FEW REFERENCE BOOKS ON THE HORSE 

Those marked with a * are especially recommended. 

*E. L. Anderson and Price Collier, Riding and Driving. New York, 1905. 

•Robert Black, Horse Racing in France. London, 1886. 

*\V. C. A. Blew and others. Light Horses: Breeds and Management, London 

1S94. 
♦Hamilton Busby, The Trotting and Pacing Horse in America. New York, 

1904. 
Louis Henry Curzon, A Mirror of the Turf. London, 1892. 
Rich.\rd D.\rvill, a Treatise on the Care, Treatment and Training of the 

English Race Horse. 2 vols. London, 1846. 

E. Daumas, The Horses of the Sahara. London, 1863. 
Wu.ijAM Day, The Horse. London, 1890. 

William Day, The Race Horse in Training. London, 1892. 

John Dimon, American Horses and Horse Breeding. Hartford, 1895. 

William S. Dixon (The Druid), Post and Paddock. London, 1856. 

William S. Dixon (The Druid), Silk and Scarlet. London, 1859. 

*TiiEODORE A. Dodge, The Riders of Many Lands. New York, 1894. 

♦Charles Du Huys, The Percheron Horse. New York, 1868. 

William Henry Flower, The Horse. London, 1891. 

*SiR Walter Gilbey, Ponies Past and Present. London, 1900. 

*SiR Walter Gilbey, Riding and Driving Horses. London, 1901. 

♦Sir Walter Gilbey, The Great Horse: The Shire. London, 1S99. 

♦Sir Walter Gilbey, The Harness Horse. London, 1898. 

♦Sir Walter Gilbey, The Old English W' ar Horse. London, 1888. 

♦M. Horace Hayes, Points of the Horse. London, 1897. 

♦Heavy Horses : Breeds and Management. London, 1895. 

♦H. T. Helm, American Roadsters and Trotting Horses. Chicago, 1S78. 

♦H. W. Herbert, Frank Forester's Horse and Horsemanship of the United 

States. 2 vols. New York, 1871. 
♦J. P. Hore, The History of Newmarket. 3 vols. London, 1886. 

F. H. Huth, Works on Horses and Equitation : A Bibliographical Record of 
Hippology. London, 1887. 

♦D. C. Linsley, Morgan Horses. New York, 1857. 

♦C. Bruce Lowe, Breeding Race Horses by the Figure System. New York, 189S. 

♦Charles Marvin, Training the Trotting Horse. New York, 1892. 

Pierre Megnin, Le Cheval et ses Races. Vincennes, 1895. 

♦H. C. Merwin, Road, Track and Stable. Boston, 1S93. 

Joseph Osborne, The Horse Breeders' Handbook. London, N.D. 



1 68 THK HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 

J. H. Reeves, The Orange County Stud IJook. New \'ork, iSSo. 

*\Vii,LiAM RiDGEWAY, Origin and Influence of the Thoroughbred Horse. Cam- 
bridge, 1905. 

Isaac Phillips Roheuts, The Horse. New York, 1905. 

J. H. S.\NDERS, Horse Breeding. Chicago, 1893. 

*S. Sidney, The Book of the Horse. London and New York, N.D. 

C. H. Smith, Horses: The Equidae or Genus Equus. Naturalists' Library, Vol. 
XH. Edinburgh, 1841. 

John Gilmer Speed, The Horse in America. New York, IQ05. 

John Splan, Life with the Trotters. Chicago, 18S9. 

*CuARLES Trevathan, The American Thoroughbred. New York, 1905. 

J. H. Walsh (Stonehenge), The Horse in the Stable and the F"ield. London, 
1871. 

James C. White, The History of the British Turf. 2 vols. London, 1840. 

*HiRAM Woodruff, The Trotting Horse of America. Philadelphia, 1868. 

* William Youatt, The Horse. London, 1S46, and Philadelphia, 1848. 

The Ass and Mtle 

*Harvey Riley, The Mule. New York, 1867. 

*W. B. Teoetmeikr and C. L. Sutherland, Horses, Asses, Zebras, Mules and 
Mule Breeding. London, 1895. • 



PART II — CATTLE 
CHAPTER XXV 

BEEF TYPE OF CATTLE 

The general appearance of the beef animal, when of correct 
type, shows a distinctly meat-producing form. The animal is com- 
pact and broad of back from shoulder points to hips ; has a wide, 
deep body ; short and somewhat thick neck ; wide, deep, full 
bosom; rather broad, thick, fleshy hind quarters ; and a generally 
deep, wide body. Viewed from one side the top and bottom lines 
of body run rather parallel, with the back quite level. From front 
or rear the outline should be rather full and broad. Cattle of 
this type are commonly referred to as "blocky," indicating com- 
pactness and squareness of form. If the body is inclined to be 
long it may be termed "rangy," while animals long of leg, show- 
ing too little depth and fullness of body, may be termed "leggy." 

The Jiead should have a broad, strong muzzle, indicating 
superior grazing and feeding capacity. The nostrils, when some- 
what prominent and large, with a wide nose, show ample nasal 
capacity to supply the lungs with air. A Roman nose sometimes 
occurs with cattle, but it is neither attractive nor desirable. The 
distance from the muzzle to a point immediately between the 
eyes is preferably short, with some curve, or "dish," as it is termed, 
just below the eyes, which should be wide apart, large, and indi- 
cate a gentle temperament. A quiet eye means an easy feeder, 
while a nervous, restless eye shows an animal unsatisfactory to 
handle and care for. The forcJicad, as indicating mental capac- 
ity, should be broad and reasonably full. The face and cheeks 
in a superior head arc full and deep, connected with a rather 
broad, strong lower jaw. If of the horned type, the honis should 

169 



1 70 CA'ITLE 

not be coarse at the head, but should show plenty of fine texture 
and quality, and be graceful and of harmonious proportions. An 
abundance of rather long hair should crown the poll, or top of the 
head. It is most desirable that the car should be neatly attached 
to the head, without coarseness, and that it should be of superior 
quality, and neatly pointed and covered with silky hair, with 
long hair at edges and tips. 

The neck of the beef animal tends to be short, thick, and mus- 
cular, of medium depth, and should be neatly attached to the head 
and smoothly blended with the shoulders. The bull at maturity 
shows a neck of more length, with heavier muscles, some arch, 
and a heavy coat of hair. The female will have a shorter, lighter 
neck, with less thickness and less depth. The steer should have 
a shorter, thicker, fuller, smoother fleshed neck than the cow. 
When in perfect pose, with head up, the top line of the neck 
should be but slightly raised above the height of the withers. 

The sJiouIdcrs should extend well into the back, lying smoothly 
covered with flesh, blending neatly with the body. A high type 
of shoulder is uniformly covered with flesh from shoulder point 
to top of withers. Rough, angular shoulders, unevenly covered, 
are among the most common defects of cattle. A prominent 
shoulder also emphasizes the development behind it. 

The breast and cJiest are most important. The former should 
be carried well forward and be broad and full in the bosom. As 
one stands and views a beef bull in show form a great breadth 
of breast and strength of brisket meets the eye. Sometimes the 
breast and chest have great depth, and the brisket comes within 
fifteen inches of the level of the foot. Viewed from one side it 
may curve forward like the prow of a ship. With the cow con- 
siderable bosom may show, but not in so great a degree, and with 
less breadth and more feminine outline. The cJicst, which lies 
between the shoulders and just back of them, should be full at 
the crops, showing much spring of rib, and also well filled out 
in the front flanks. The most beautiful front on the beef animal, 
no matter whether bull, cow, or steer, is a smoothly laid, well- 
fleshed shoulder, with a strong arch of rib behind, leaving little 
or no depression. Much depression behind the shoulders, or a 
narrow, contracted lower chest, indicates lack of constitution. 



b?:ef type of cattle 



171 



The front le^s should have a wide muscular attachment of 
arm at the shoulder, with plenty of room from armpit to armpit 
below the chest. Short, well-placed legs, coming straight down, 
viewed from front or side, are essential. The toes should point 
straight forward, this indicating a proper position. Closeness of 
knees indicates a narrow chest. Fine bone and smooth joints 
point to superior quality. The front shank bone of a mature animal 
of the beef class should show refinement at its narrowest point. 




Fig. 63. The Hereford bull March On VI and the heifer JJuuquLt. These 
show beef form in a pronounced degree, especially as viewed in front. 
Photograph from the A'ational Stockman and Farinej- 



The back of beef cattle carries an immense weight, supported 
at fore and hind quarters. It should thus be very strong and 
level to sustain this burden. As the highest-priced meats on 
the carcass are found on the back, it is important that the ribs 
be well arched, that a broad back be provided, to carry as much 
meat as possible, thus adding to the value of the animal. Great 
width is desirable from the point of the shoulders to the hips, 
and as viewed from front or rear along the back there should 
be much breadth, covered uniformly with mellow flesh. Dimples 



172 



CATTLE 



or tucks in the back, rough spots, and uneven patches of fat 
detract from the value of this pa^t. 

The ribs should not only be well sprung but be long and 
carried down to help make a capacious body. This goes with the 
strong feeder, and is also most essential with the breeding female. 
With bulls and steers a very close coupling between the hips 
and last ribs, or all the ribs in fact, is desired, but with cows for 
breeding purposes some greater length is approved of. The 
depth at front and hind flank, with a thick, full feel at the latter, 
are associated with superior form. 

The Jiips should be well placed, snugly laid, and with steers 
well covered with flesh. A wide hip in the bull is undesirable, 
for such a feature may be transmitted and be a source of dan- 
ger to the cow on birth of wide-hipped offspring. A greater 
width and more prominence of hip is allowable among the cows, 
although too frequently one sees the hip too prominent. 

The rump of a beef animal, no matter what the kind, should 
be long from hip to point of body, be of great width, and com- 
paratively level. This not only promotes a maximum of flesh 
production, but it givee a more beautiful form and offers a con- 
formation better suited to the breeding female thandoes any other. 
A droopy, peaked rump is a defective conformation, obstructs 
easy calving, may reduce flesh capacity, and certainly detracts 
from beauty of form. With beef cattle the rumps are sometimes 
rough about the tail head or at the ends of the rump on each 
side of the tail. Smoothness and fullness here indicate better 
fleshing qualities. 

The hind quarter, viewed from behind, should be quite thick, 
coming down perpendicularly on the outside to where the thigh 
naturally narrows. On the inside a thick, broad edge, with much 
depth from tail head to a full, well-turned twist should be appar- 
ent. From one side the hind cjuarter will appear long and broad, 
with considerable depth of flesh to the rear. The whole will appear 
thick, and smoothly covered with flesh. 

The Jiocks and legs indicate the capacity for fleshing at the 
hind end. If the hocks are strong, muscular, clean, and well 
placed, with no special tendency to come together, they will be 
generally associated with thicker-fleshed quarters than otherwise. 



BEEF TYPE OF CA'ITLE 



173 



The hocks should stand squarely under the animal, so that a 
plumb line dropped from the pin bones will bisect them and the 
shank bone of the leg below. Crooked hocks are bad, showing 
weak conformation and ugly form. When the hocks tend to 
come together at the points — a very common thing — the toes 
point out. Only very rarely do the toes point in. The necessity 
for a graceful and straight position of the hind leg, smooth- 
ness of joint, shortness of leg, and fineness of bone is apparent. 




Fig. 64. The grade Shorthorn steer Flashlight, shown at the 1904 Inter- 
national Live Stock Exposition by Purdue University. Winner of 
first honors in grade and crossbred classes. This picture shows a fine 
example of beef form as viewed from one side. Photograph from 
Professor J. H. Skinner 

The udder of the beef cow is too frequently ignored. It should 
be of good size and shape, extending well up behind and in front 
along under the body, with four well-placed teats. Every beef 
cow should be able to furnish ample milk for her calf for the 
first eight months of lactation. It is not creditable to a beef cow 
to have an ill-shaped udder or to produce but little milk. 

The quality of the beef animal is shown in bone, skin, hair, ears, 
and horn. A coarse bone, with large rough joints, long legs, and 
heavy horns, indicates lack of quality. If the ears are large and 



1 74 CATTLE 

coarse, with heavy attachment, there is also lack of quality. The 
most signal indication of quality is in the hide, which should 
always be mellow and pliable, and in the hair, which should be 
silky and fine. In winter there are thick, fine hairs lying in great 
profusion next to the skin, with longer ones projecting beyond, 
thus providing great protection from rough weather. As one 
views an animal with very distinct evidence of quality in the 
skin, there will be a glisten and finish to the coat and a roll 
to the hide which only goes with good quality. Taken in the 
hands, along over the ribs, the skin seems mellow and pliable 
to the touch, being easily grasped and stretched. A very thin 
hide is undesirable, the better sort having a moderate thickness, 
exceeding that of a dairy animal. 

The fleshing of beef cattle is very important. There should be 
uniformity of flesh all over the body, even though it be not a 
fattened animal. On highly fed ones, especially steers, the flesh 
should increase in thickness, but not lose its uniform distribu- 
tion over the frame. The palm of the hand pressed along the 
back, shoulder, or side should find no evidence of irregular 
covering, with bare spots in one place and heavy fleshing near 
by. Such fleshing indicates an undesirable type for feeding and 
killino:. 



CHAPTER XXVI 

THE SHORTHORN 

The original home of the Shorthorn breed of cattle is in north- 
eastern l^^ngland, in the counties of York, Durham, and North- 
umberland. The North Sea borders this section on the east, 
with the Cheviot Hills of Scotland the boundary on the north. 
Winding its way through a beautiful grazing country, the river 
Tees forms the dividing line between Durham on the north 
and York, the largest county in England, on the south. Here 
in the valley of the Tees the Shorthorn received its early 
development and improvement, from which it spread out over 
the rest of Great Britain and the civilized world. This valley 
country has beautiful long stretches of rolling grass lands and 
fields of grain and roots, but farther north in Northumberland 
and south in York the land becomes rougher and more hilly. 

The origin of the Shorthorn is naturally veiled in obscurity. 
No doubt the early invaders of England — the Romans, Normans, 
and others — brought over cattle which crossed with the native 
English stock. It has been assumed that even prior to 1600 
cattle of Shorthorn type were bred on the estates of the earls 
and dukes of Northumberland in Yorkshire.^ Black, horned cattle 
prevailed more or less in Yorkshire, while farther south, in Lin- 
coln and vicinity, white, red, and other colors prevailed. Early 
in the eighteenth century the Teeswater cattle represented one 
popular type, while in southeastern Yorkshire another sort, 
known as the Holderness, was developed. About the middle of 
this same century Michael Dobinson and Sir William St. Quin- 
tin brought over bulls from Holland, and used these in their 
herds, owned in Durham and Yorkshire respectively. In 1789 
George Culley wrote : 

1 The word "shire" in Great Britain signifies county, and is often used as a 
part of the county name, as " Yorkshire," for example. 

175 



1 76 CATTLE 

I remember a gentleman of the county of Durham (a Mr. Michael 
Dobinson), who went in the early part of his life into Holland, in order to 
buy bulls ; and those he brought over, I have been told, did much service 
in improving the breed ; and this Mr. Dobinson, and neighbors even in my 
day, were noted for having the best breeds of Shorthorned cattle. 

Following these importations of Dobinson and St. Ouintin, 
came others of more inferior stock, such as really injured the 
beef cattle of the country. By Culley's time, however, much of 
this evil effect, he writes, was overcome. Other improvers of the 
early Shorthorn were Sir James Pennyman, the Aislabies of 
Studley Royal, the Blacketts of Newby, Millbank of Barning- 
ham, James Brown, Stephenson, Wetherell, Maynard, Snowdon, 
Waistell, and Richard and William Barker. 

The more distinguished improvers of the Shorthorn rcall\' date 
from about 1780, and include Charles and Robert Colling, 
Thomas Bates, Thomas Booth and his sons John and Richard, 
and Amos Cruickshank. There were many other prominent and 




P'lo. 65. Ketton Hall, the home of Charles Colling, near Darlington, 
England. Photograph by the author 

successful breeders, but these men distinguished themselves as 
epoch makers, about whose careers clusters much of the best in 
Shorthorn history. 

The Colling brothers. These were Charles and Robert. Charles 
was born in 1750 and lived at Ketton, just north of Darlington 



THE SHORTHORN 1 77 

in Durham, while Robert, born in 1749, lived at Barmpton, not 
far from Charles. They sought to make better feeders, have their 
cattle mature early, dress out with less offal, and have more con- 
stitution than the old sort. They gathered about them two very 
famous herds, which had a great influence in uplifting the breed. 




Fig. 66. A rear view of the house and part of the stable at Kirklevingtoii, near 
Yarm, England, the residence of Thomas Bates. Photograph by the author 

The herd of Charles, comprising 47 animals, was sold at auction 
in 18 10 for an average of about $750 a head. The herd of 
Robert was sold in two parts, 61 animals in 18 18 averaging 
about $650, and 46 animals in 1820 averaging about ^250 each. 
So great a work did the Colling brothers do that they have 
often been referred to as the founders of the Shorthorn breed. 
Robert died a bachelor, in 1820, and Charles died in 1836, 
leaving a widow but no children. The Colling brothers founded 
the Phoenix, Wildair, Princess, Red Rose, Bright Eyes, Daisy, 
and some other tribes. 

Thomas Bates was born in Northumberland in 1775 and died 
at his Kirklcvington estate, near Yarm, in Yorkshire, in 1849. 
He early became acquainted with the prominent breeders of his 
time, notably the Colling brothers, and began the systematic 
development of a class of cattle having superior dairy as well as 
beef qualities. He was a very careful investigator, keeping de- 
tailed records of the relationship of food consumed to beef and 
milk production. His cattle had much quality, were rather large 
for the breed, possessed great dairy capacity, but were somewhat 



178 



CAT11.E 



criticised for lack of constitution and breeding capacity. He de- 
veloped the Duchess, Oxford, Waterloo, Cambridge Rose, Wild 
Eyes, Foggathorpe, and other tribes. Bates died a bachelor, and 
with his death in 1850 came the dispersal of his herd of 68 
animals at an average price of about ^335 per head. 

The Booth family became prominent in Shorthorn history 
with the establishment of a herd by Thomas Booth, at Killerby 
in north Yorkshire, prior to 1790. His herd was established with 
good Teeswater cattle and animals purchased from the Colling 




Fi(.. 117. 



)rnei- ot the stable at Killerby, the home of Thomas Booth 
in Yorkshire. Photograph by the author 



brothers. He also owned an estate named " Warlaby," on which 
he lived during the latter years of his life. Thomas had two sons, 
John and Richard, who took up the work where the father left 
off. John lived at Killerby and died in 1857, aged seventy years, 
while Richard lived at Studley adjoining Killerby, and later at 
Warlaby, where he died in 1864, aged seventy-six. These two 
men had a very great influence on Shorthorn history, and really 
developed the breed along lines adopted by the Colling brothers. 
The herd of John Booth was sold at auction in 1852, while that of 
Richard was inherited by his nephew, Thomas C. Booth, who died 



THE SHORTHORN 



179 



in 1878. A son of the latter, in the prime of life, now maintains 
the Booth reputation by breeding Shorthorns at Warlaby. Thus 
Shorthorns have been bred by the Booth family, along systematic 
lines, for over a century. The beef type was emphasized, easy- 
feeding, thick-fleshed animals with plenty of quality and strong 
heart girth being sought. Booth cattle were rougher and more 
robust appearing than Bates cattle and met with much favor. 
In Ireland in particular they have a strong hold. Important 
among the Booth tribes are the Anna, Isabella, Medora, Halnaby 
or White Strawberry, Bracelet, Moss Rose, Mantalini, Blossom 
or Fairholme, and Cherry Blossom. 

Amos Cruickshank was born in Aberdeen, in northeastern 
Scotland, in 1808, and died in 1895 at Sittyton, Aberdeen. In 
partnership with his 
brother Anthony, who 
was a merchant in the city 
of Aberdeen, Amos in 
1837 took possession of 
a somewhat rolling farm, 
where roots, the small 
grains, and grass were 
produced. Here he began 
to select and buy Short- 
h o rn s from various 
sources, choosing animals 
that possessed plenty of 
vigor and rapid flesh- 
producing qualities. Gradually he developed a type of Short- 
horn known as Scotch, which is essentially broad and thick of 
back, deep and compact of body, short of leg, heavy in flesh- 
producing quality, and early maturing, — an easy-keeping sort of 
much vigor and superior killing quality. Cruickshank met with 
much success, and to-day Scotch cattle, tracing back in an impor- 
tant degree to his breeding, are meeting with great favor all over 
the world. Among the important tribes established by him are 
the Violet, Venus, Mimulus, Picotee, Broadhooks, Lady, Non- 
pareil, Orange Blossom, Brawith Bud, Lancaster, Victoria, Secret, 
Lavender, Spicy, and Lovely. 




Fic;. 68. The farmhouse of William Duthie at 
CoUynie, Tarves, Scotland. Photograph by 
the author 



1 So CATTLE 

Other important Shorthorn breeders who assisted in establish- 
ing the breed were Christopher Mason of Chihon ; Jonas Whit- 
taker of Otley near Leeds; Wethercll of Aldborough ; Sir Charles 
Knightley of Fawsley Park, Daventry, and WilHam Torr of Riby 
and Aylesby, all of England ; these men, and more recently J. 
Deane Willis of Hapten Manor, Codford, had an important influ- 
ence during the past century. In Scotland, besides Cruickshank, 
Robertson of Ladykirk, the first Scotch breeder of Shorthorns ; 
John Rennie of Phantassie, Haddington ; Captain Barclay of 
Ury, Stonehaven ; John Hutcheson of Monyruy, Peterhead ; Grant 
Duff of Eden, Aberdeen ; William Hay of Shethin, Tarves ; 
Sylvester Campbell of Kinellar ; W. S. Marr of Uppermill ; and 
William Duthie of Collynie, Tarves, materially added to the fame 
of the Shorthorn breed. 

Individual foundation Shorthorns of interest date back early 
into the eighteenth century. In the establishment of the many 
families or tribes of Shorthorns during much over a century it 
is but natural that very many animals of great merit and influ- 
ence on the breed should have existed. Only a few of these can 
be referred to here, and these of very early days. The Studley 
Bull (626), dropped in 1737, is known as one of the very first 
important Shorthorn breeding bulls. James Brown's Red Bull 
(97), a descendant of the Studley Bull, met with much success 
as a breeder of foundation stock. The bull Hubback (319) is 
regarded by some as the founder of the Shorthorn breed. He 
was calved in 1777 and was a yellowish red with some white. 
He was sired by Snowdon's Bull (612) and was a direct descend- 
ant of the Studley Bull (626). His dam was a cow of Stephen- 
son's breeding of an old tribe. Hubback was owned by various 
persons, but his fame is chiefly due to his services when owned 
by Robert Colling and later by Charles, who paid about $40 for 
him. Charles Colling used him two vears and then sold him 
in 1785 to a Mr. Hubback in Northumberland, from whom he 
got his name. Hubback sired some very fine heifers at Ketton, 
one of which, Haughton, bred to Richard Barker's Bull (52), 
produced the bull calf Foljambe (263) which became a great 
breeder. A son of his, Bolingbroke (86), and a daughter. Phoenix, 
mated, produced the bull l^^ivorite (262), one of the most famous 



JHK SHORTHORN 



i8i 



Shorthorn bulls of early history. Favorite was dropped in 1793 
and died in 1809. He was mated to his nearest relations in the 
herd by Charles Colling, and bred to his dam sired the heifer 
Young Phoenix, which he was in turn bred to, resulting in the 
bull Comet. This last bull was very beautiful, and reached such 
great public fa\'or that at the dispersion sale of Charles Colling 
in 1 8 10 he brought one thousand guineas ($5000), which was 
the highest price paid up to that time. 

Of Booth breeding, some of the most famous founders were 
White Strawberry, Anna, Isabella, Moss Rose, and Countess. 
The latter was grandam of the twins Necklace and Bracelet, two 
of the most famous 
show heifers of his- 
tory ; Bracelet became 
a remarkable breeder 
and founder of a tribe. 
Isabella as a show cow 
was "matchless," yet 
she also was a great 
breeder. The bulls 
Young Albion (15), 
Pilot (496), Julius 
Caesar (1143), Buck- 
ingham (3239), Crown 
Prince (10087), and Windsor (14013) were leading Booth sires. 

In the herd of Thomas Bates foundation stock of eminence 
began with Daisy Bull (186), obtained from Charles Colling. In 
1804 Bates bought the cow Duchess by the above bull, from 
which in 1805 he secured the bull calf Ketton (709), sired by 
Favorite. A granddaughter of Duchess, named Young Duchess, 
sired by Comet, was the ancestress of the Duchess tribe of Bates, 
his favorite famil)-. The Matchem cow from which the Oxford 
tribe descends, the Princess cow by Favorite, and a cow known 
as Acklam Red Rose (Red Rose ist) from which descends the 
Cambridge Roses and American Rose of Sharons, were most 
important foundation dams in the Bates herd. Of the bulls 
which brought fame to Bates, the more conspicuous were 
2d Hubback (1423) by The Earl (646), Belvedere (1706) by 




Fig. 69. Pride of Morning (120551), by Star of 
Morning (12 1243). Main stock bull in the herd 
of William Duthie, Scotland. Photograph by 
the author 



l82 



CATILE 



Waterloo (2816), Short Tail (2621) by Belvedere, and Duke of 
Northumberland (1940) by Belvedere. The Duke bull, out of the 
famous show cow Duchess 34th, Bates regarded as the greatest 
result of his breeding career. 

Up in Scotland the Cruickshanks used with much success in 
their herd as early dams Moss Rose, Venus, Sunflower, Phan- 
tassie, Premium, P\ancy by Billy (3 151), Clipper (also by Billy), 
Victoria 19th by Lord John (11731), Pure Gold, Butterfly's 




Fig. 70. White Hall Sultan 163573, a prominent Shorthorn show bull in 1904 
and 1905, winning the highest honors at the International Live Stock 
Exjjosition and elsewhere. In 1903 chief stock bull of E. S. Kelly, Yel- 
low Springs, Ohio ; later purchased by F. W. Harding, Waukesha, 
Wisconsin. Photograph by the author 

Pride by Royal Butterfly (16862), Spicy by Marmaduke (14897), 
and Lancaster i6th. Among the sires which contributed most 
to the success of the Cruickshanks were Fairfax Royal (6987), 
bought in 1845, Matadore (11800), Lord Raglan (13244), Lan- 
caster Comet (1 1633), Champion of P2ngland (17526), Royal 
Duke of Gloster (29864), and Roan Gauntlet (35284). 

There were other important foundation animals in the minor 
herds already referred to, which in a more extended considera- 
tion would receive proper notice. 



THE SHORTHORN 



183 



The first Shorthorns imported to America were brought to 
Virginia in 1783 by Gough and Miller, and though not called 
Shorthorns the evidence shows them to have been of this breed. 
These men also imported again about 1792. It is said that in 
1 79 1 and also in 1796 a Mr. Heaton brought Shorthorns to New 
York State. A Mr. Cox also brought a bull and two cows to 
Rensselaer County, New York, after the close of the War of 
18 12. In 18 17 the first pedigreed bulls, Marquis (408) and 
Moscow (9413), were brought to America, S. M. Hopkins im- 
porting them into the Genesee Valley in New York. What are 
known as "The Seventeens " were imported in 1817 by Colonel 
Lewis Sanders of 
Kentucky, including 
four bulls and four 
heifers. One of these 
heifers died before 
reaching Kentucky, 
but the others, Mrs. 
Motte, the Durham 
Cow, and the Tees- 
water Cow, were the 
first to be imported 
west of the Allegha- 
nies, and their de- 
scendants are known 
as "The Seven- 
teens." In 18 17 and 18 18 importations were made to Massa- 
chusetts ; in 182 I, 1822, and 1823 importations were brought to 
New York State, and from then on, into various sections of the 
eastern states. 

The Ohio Importing Company, organized at Chillicothe, Ohio, 
in 1833, with about fifty stockholders, became the most impor- 
tant factor in introducing Shorthorns to America up to this time. 
In 1834 Felix and Josiah Renick and E. J. Harness went to 
England, where they visited Bates, the Booths, Maynard, Clark, 
and other famous breeders, and purchased nineteen head and 
brought them to Ohio. In this shipment were the heifers Rose 
of Sharon by Belvedere, bred by Thomas Bates, and Young Mary 




Fig. 71. The Lad for Me 140618, a well-known 
Shorthorn show bull and sire, bred and owned by 
J. G. Robbins & Sons, Horace, Indiana. Photo- 
graph by the author 



I 84 CA ITLE 

by Jupiter, bred by J. Clark. The history of these cows is insep- 
arably associated with Shorthorn fame in America. Importations 
were also made in 1835 and 1836, and on October 29, 1836, 
occurred the most important Shorthorn auction sale held in 
America, when this importation was sold off and the herd closed 
up. Forty-three animals sold for ^34,540, an average of $803.25 . 
The formation of the Ohio Company was one of the notable steps 
in American Shorthorn history, although later numerous other 
comjianies were organized for the importation of the breed. 

Shorthorn characteristics. Having traced briefly the influences 
surrounding the development of the Shorthorn, a consideration 
of the characteristics of the breed is here appropriate. In gcji- 
eral conformation the Shorthorn adheres closely to the beef type, 
though certain tribes, notably Bates bred, tend strongly enough 
to milk production to be known as general purpose cattle. In size 
mature cows usually weigh about 1400 pounds, though they fre- 
quently exceed that and in rare cases reach 2000 pounds. The 
mature bull will easily attain 1800 to 2000 pounds ; many weigh 
from 2000 to 2200, and weights upward to 2500 pounds occur, 
though the latter is infrequent. This may be regarded as our 
largest breed of cattle, although the Hereford is a close second, 
and may be considered by many as its equal in weight and size. 
The following points especially apply to the cow. The horn is 
variable, but is always comparatively small and short, and prefer- 
ably curves forward, with the tips bending inward or upward. In 
color a waxy yellowish tint is preferred, though blackish tips are 
not debarred. The head should be lean and shapely, and short 
from between the eyes to the muzzle, which should be flesh color 
and broad, with large nostrils. A dark or blackish muzzle is 
distinctly objected to by most breeders. The neck should be 
short, and be neatly attached to the head, and blend smoothly 
into the shoulders. Shorthorn shoulders tend to be a bit promi- 
nent and bare. They should be well laid in and smoothly covered 
with flesh. Back of the shoulders the ci'ops and fore flanks are 
often deficient, and lack of heart girth is a frequent criticism of 
the breed. Superior animals show a body that is very broad of 
back, strong of loin, and so prominent of rib as to give a large 
girth and digestive capacity of the first order. The flanks before 



THE SHORTHORN 185 

and behind are also low and full. A thick, deep body is usually 
associated with a low, full chest and prominent breast, — essentials 
with a proper constitutional development. The brisket should 
be broad and deep and carried forward as a part of a smooth, 
full, and attractive breast. The hind quarter of the Shorthorn is 
usually typical of the breed, — superior in its general development 
to that of any other beef breed. Regarding the hips, William 
Housman writes of the Shorthorn : " In fat or lean animals the 




Fig. 73. Missie's Diamond 221080, the junior <.haiiii_)iuii .SlKuthorn bull at 
the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, 1904. Bred and owned by 
D. K. Hanna, Ravenna, Ohio. This picture shows the bull as a short 
yearling. Photograph by J. Y. Robertson 

hip bone must be liberally covered, not bare, hard, or sharp ; 
each hip ' cleft,' and the hollow filled with elastic fiesh. This is 
an important test of the quality of the animal, especially in the 
lean state." The rump is usually long, level, and broad, and well 
covered with meat, while the thighs and quarters are long, thick, 
and deep from front to rear, showing a maximum amount of 
meat for this quarter. Animals of naturally heavy fleshing quali- 
ties frequently get " patchy " about the root of the tail at the 
rump, and also roll some on the sides, thus detracting from the 



1 86 CAITLE 

smoothness of finish ; but these are characteristics of easily fat- 
tened animals only. The udder of the Short horn averages decidedly 
greater capacity than does that of the other beef breeds, and is 
a noteworthy feature. No beef breed is better able to nourish 
the calf than the Shorthorn. It is due to emphasizing the impor- 
tance of milk production on the part of some of the best breeders 
in history that has resulted in the American farmer regarding 
the Shorthorn as better suited to general farm purposes than 
any other breed. In limb animals of this breed should show 
shortness of leg, small, clean bone, and strong yet not coarse 
joints. A criticism often made of Shorthorns, and not without 
some justice, is that they have a tendency to be too long of 
leg. This has been especially said in the past of cattle of Bates's 
breeding, and this criticism has been materially weakened by the 
influence of Scotch blood. 

The Shorthorn bull should possess in the main the desirable 
features of the female, without her feminine qualities. His head, 
horns, and neck naturally should be stronger and larger, the 
latter being thick and arched, the whole front showing character 
and breeding power. The horns of the bull are less bent than 
those of the cow, and should be prominent yet not coarse. Over 
the forehead and neck should be a covering of thick, fine, and 
moderately long hair. In general form the bull should also be 
broad in front, with full deep bosom, broad powerful arms, a com- 
paratively shorter and more blocky body than that possessed by 
the cow and with greater relative size. 

The color of the Shorthorn is in i)art distinctive of the breed. 
This may be pure red, red and white, pure white, or roan, the 
latter being a commingling of red and white hairs without form- 
ing solid color. The shades vary, the red ranging from light to 
dark and the roan from light or white roan to dark or red roan. 
No other breed claims the roan color. Black is not a Shorthorn 
color, and should not occur in i)ure-bred animals. The impor- 
tance of the color varies in the estimation of different persons, 
but color has never indicated the best animals, and wise breeders 
select on the basis of intrinsic merit rather than color. 

The relative prevalence of the different Shorthorn colors has 
been brought out by the author through researches made in the 



THE SHORTHORN 



187 



American Shorthorn herdbooks. The colors of 10,000 head 
registered between 1859 and 1903, distributed over the entire 
period, shows the following distribution : red, 4943, red and 
white, 2748 ; roan, 2034 ; and white, 275. This record involved 
7000 bulls and 3000 cows. During the period of forty-four 
years the percentage of red increased, while the other colors 
relatively decreased. In the past some sections have been con- 
sidered as favoring certain colors, as for example, Kentucky the 
red. In the stock yards the roan has been long regarded with 
favor as a prime feeder and killer. 

In quality the Shorthorn ranks very high. The mellowness 
and elasticity of skin and fineness of hair and bone are character- 
istics indelibly stamped 
on the breed. 

The Shorthorn as a 
butcher's beast ranks in 
the first class. All of the 
really great British breed- 
ers had in mind the im- 
portance of the Shorthorn 
as a beef producer, and 
Cruickshank gave this 
feature special distinction. 
In the leading fat stock 
shows of Great Britain and America, Shorthorn steers far out- 
number any other breed, while in the stock yards Shorthorn 
grades largely predominate. The Shorthorn produces a high- 
class beef, and has the strong loin and hind-quarter development 
associated with profitable production. If compared with the 
Aberdeen Angus, the Shorthorn will not dress out quite as high 
a percentage of meat to offal, though the difference is not large ; 
also the dressed carcass of the Shorthorn will show somewhat more 
tallow and external patches of fat than will the Angus. In the 
records of feeding experiments with different breeds given by 
Professor W. A. Henry, twenty-six Shorthorns fed at five different 
experiment stations averaged 15 10 pounds at ion days, gained 
a daily average of 1.50 pounds from birth, and showed an average 
dressed weight of 64.4 per cent. At the 1905 International Live 



**! 



Fig. 73. A Shorthorn cow in the herd of 
Queen Victoria at Windsor in 1900. Photo- 
graph by the author 



i88 



CATITE 



Stock Exposition the best record of a Shorthorn in the two-year 
carcass test was to dress out 62 per cent. In the car lots the 
best record was 64.2 per cent. 

The Shorthorn steer in the show ring has not in recent years 
been maintaining his reputation as a grand champion, the pure- 
bred or grade Aberdeen Angus or Hereford surpassing him 
repeatedly. The following are the Shorthorn grand champions 
at the American Fat Stock Show at Chicago from 1878 to 1892 : 



Year 


Name of Steer 


Weight 


Owner and Location 


1878 


John Sherman 


2195 lb. 


J. D. Gillett, Illinois 


1879 


Nichols 


2060 " 


J. H. Graves, Kentucky 


1880 


Nichols 


2465 " 


J. H. Graves, Kentucky 


1 88 1 


McMullen 


2095 " 


J. D. Gillett, Illinois 


1882 


McMullen 


2565 " 


J. I). Gillett, Illinois 


1884 


Clarence Kirklevington 


2400 " 


Bow Park Farm, Canada 


1887 


Doctor Click 


1855 " 


D. M. Moninger, Iowa 


1889 


Rigclon 


1950 " 


Elbert & Fall, Iowa 


1890 


Nonesuch 


2090 " 


\V. H. Renick, Kentucky 



Shorthorn steers at the International Live Stock Exposition 
have not yet won a grand championship since the establishment 
of that show in 1900. The following are the breed champion 
pure-bred Shorthorn steers at this show : 



1900 Cumberland Chunk, shown by T. J. Ryan & Son, Iowa, 

igoi Prince of Quality, shown by Iowa Agricultural College. 

1902 Prince of Quality, shown by Iowa Agricultural College. 

1903 Silver Crown, shown by Iowa Agricultural College. 

1904 Auditor, shown by Abram Renick, Kentucky. 

1905 Trout Creek Wanderer, shown by Purdue University, Indiana. 

Among grades and crosses the Shorthorns have only rarely 
held a prominent place in the six last shows, as may be seen : 

1900 Got no nearer than fifth place in any class. 

1901 Right Sort secured tliird place. Shown by \Vm. Smiley, Iowa. 

1902 In the entire list of five classes, of the first five in each class, or twenty. 

five in all, were only three Shorthorn grades, each being third in 
class. 



THE SHORTHORN 



189 



1903 In five classes, of five highest-ranking animals in each, only five ewer- 

Shorthorn grades or crosses, three being in junior calf class. 

1904 flashlight, shown by Purdue University, Indiana, was champion of 

all grades and crosses. 

1905 In five classes third place was highest, this being secured in two- 

year-old, junior yearling, and senior calves. 

The importance of the Shorthorn in grading or crossing, in spite 
of what is brought out in the show-ring steer test, is most 
important. No brred thus far has done so much to improve 




Flo. 74. Golden Thistle (imp.) by Roan Gauntlet (352S4). A very beautiful 
example of the Scotch type m the former herd of Colonel W. A. Harris, 
Linwood, Kansas. Photograph from Colonel Harris 

beef stock as this. Shorthorn bulls mated to grade cows have 
revolutionized the character of the meat stock of the world. All 
over America to-day herds of excellence may be found, — animals 
graded up by Shorthorn bulls. In the principal stock yards of 
America the blood of this breed predominates, and well-finished, 
high-grade Shorthorn steers are always at a premium with the 
butcher. In Scotland and England white Shorthorn bulls bred 
on Galloway or Angus cows produce what is termed " blue 
grays," which as steers meet with the highest market favor, 
being steel gray in color and showing much quality and superior 



IQO 



CATTLE 



killing value. Animals of this brcecling shown at the Interna- 
tional Exposition by the Iowa Agricultural College have met 
with much favorable comment. Along with the Hereford and 
Aberdeen Angus the Shorthorn has been a power in improving 
the blood of the cattle on the ranges of the far West. The dis- 
appearance of the old Texas type of steer is largely due to the 
influence of Shorthorn bulls on the range. 

The Shorthorn from the dairy point of view ranks high. In 
England a great percentage of the dairy herds are of Shorthorn 




Fig. 75. A choice example of a dairy Shorthorn. A grade cow, first in Dairy 
Cow class at the Royal Agricultural Society of England Show at York in 
1900. In 1899 this cow was shown thirteen times, winning first place 
in each case. Photograph by the author 

blood. As one crosses the midland and southern counties he may 
sec large numbers of Shorthorns with udders indicating great 
milking capacity. Much of the milk shipped into London comes 
from Shorthorn herds. The author visited one farm in Berkshire 
where some five hundred cows of this breed were milked daily and 
the product shipped to London. In the United States many 
farmers, notably in the central West, rely upon Shorthorn cows 
for their milk supply. 



THE SHORTHORN 



191 



As has been already indicated, as a result of hereditary trans- 
mission, and the early breeding of Bates and others, the Short- 
hc^rn produces an abundance of milk. No beef breed equals it. 
Shorthorns generally may be in a measure grouped into two 
classes, the beefy type and the general purpose sort. As a rule, 
it is true, the latter class will not fatten as easily and does not 
present the beef conformation in as high a degree as does the 
former. P2\cn then the beefy class of Shorthorn surpasses the 
Hereford, Aberdeen Angus, and Galloway in furnishing milk for 
its offspring. 

Shorthorn dairy records have been repeatedly made in public 
and private tests. The most important public dairy record of the 
breed made in America up to this time occurred in 1893 at the 
World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago, when cattle of this 
breed competed against herds of Jersey and Guernsey. In the 
cheese-making test of 14 days, the Shorthorn ranked third, pro- 
ducing 12,186.9 pounds of milk, from which was made 1077. 6 
pounds of cheese. The Shorthorn cow Nora stood second to a 
Jersey, producing 60.56 pounds cheese at a net profit of $6.27. 
In the butter-making test for 90 days, in which gain in live 
weight was credited, the following results were secured : 



Breed 


Number 
Cows 


Milk 
lb. 


Butter 
lb. 


Gain Live 
Weight 


Net Profit 


Jersey .... 
Shorthorn . . . 
Guernsey . . . 


-5 
23 
25 


73,478.8 
66,263.2 
61,781.7 


4573-95 
2890.86 

3360.43 


776 

2826 

466 


51323-81 
911. 13 
997.63 



This was a very creditable showing, especially in view of the 
fact that the Shorthorns were not selected with the great pains and 
expense that the Jerseys were, and did not represent as many 
high-class dairy specimens as did the other breeds. Professor 
Jas. Long of England, who inspected the cows, reported on his 
return home that in England they would not rank high as dairy 
Shorthorns. In this test the cow Nora made 3679.8 pounds of 
milk, }'ielding 160. 5 7 pounds butter, and gained 1 15 pounds; while 
the Jersey cow Brown Bessie, which led this breed, made 3634 



192 



CATTLE 



pounds milk, yielding 2 16.66 pounds butter, and gained 8 1 pounds 
live weight. In a 30 da)s' butter test at the Columbian 24 vShort- 
horns made 15,618.3 pounds milk, yielding 662.66 pounds butter, 
at a net profit of ^i 19.13. Both Jersey and Guernsey made less 
milk but more butter and a greater net profit. In this test the 
best Shorthorn cow was Kitty Clay 4th. She produced 1592.8 
pounds milk, yielding 62.24 pounds butter, showing a net profit of 
^19.57. In a fourth test of one week six Shorthorn heifers 
under three years old competed with si.\ Jersey heifers, the 
Shorthorns producing 2581 pounds milk, yielding 122.36 pounds 
butter, at a net profit of $47.42 ; the Jerseys gave 3356.6 pounds 

milk, yielding 194.22 
pounds butter and a net 
profit of ;^56.27. 

The dairy test of Short- 
horns at the Louisiana 
Purchase Exposition in 
1904 yielded more satis- 
factory returns than has 
any previous public test 
of the breed. In a test of 
1 20 days, in which 20 
Shorthorns were carried 
entirely through, the cows 
made an average of 442 1.6 
pounds milk, 165.3 pounds butter fat, 382.7 pounds solids not fat, 
and an average gain in weight during 1 14 days of 105.3 pounds. 
Numerous public dairy tests of Shorthorns have demonstrated 
the ample capacity of the breed at the pail. In 1901, at the 
Pan-American Exposition, between May i and October 31, five 
Shorthorn cows produced a total of 1307.55 pounds churned 
butter, yielding a net profit of $164.77. At the London Dairy 
Show in 1904 a fine showing of Shorthorns was made, one cow 
producing 58 pounds milk in a day, and 14 averaging 46.6 
pounds milk per day. Many state-fair records show the Short- 
horn to yield a liberal milk flow. An interesting record of a 
grade is the cow Rose, that at the Wisconsin Kxi:)eriment Station 
in 326 days produced 10,163 pounds milk, containing 433.82 




l-h.. yu. l''au- (^)ueen, the chiuupiuii vShuiilnjin 
cow at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition 
in 1904. Owned by E. W. Bowen, Delphi, 
Indiana. Photograph by the author 



THE SHORTHORN 



193 



pounds butter fat, equivalent to 506.12 pounds butter. Deduct- 
ing cost of feed, there was a net profit from Rose of $79.86. 
One of the very best private dairy records for an entire herd 
of grade Shorthorns comes from John Kingsbury of South 
Dakota, who in 1898 reports 16 cows averaging 6000 pounds 
miltc, from which was made an average of 301 pounds 5 ounces 
butter, while in 1899 the same number of cows yielded an 
average of 6342 pounds milk and 317 pounds 5 ounces butter. 




Fig. 77. Whitu 1 leather, tirst prize and champion Slioilhorn cow at the Royal 
Agricultural Society of England Show of 1904. One of the most beautiful 
specimens of the breed seen in England in recent years. Bred by J. Deane 
Willis. Photograph from William Cooper & Nephews, Berkhamsted, 
England 

The prices received for Shorthorns range up to higher figures 
than for any other breed of cattle. For over a century high 
prices have been obtained at both private and public sales. Many 
bulls have changed hands at $5000 each since the time of 
Charles Ceiling's sale in i8 1 1 when Comet was the first to bring 
this figure. The sale of Walcott and Campbell, held Septem- 
ber 10, 1873, at New York Mills, New York, is the record- 
breaking Shorthorn sale of history. At this time 109 animals 
sold for $381,990, an average of $3504. The cow Eighth 
Duchess of Geneva brought $40,600, the highest price ever 



I 94 CATTLE 

paid for cither cow or bull, while i8 other animals ranged from 
^5000 up to $35,000 each, the latter being the price paid for 
Tenth Duchess of Geneva. The bull Second Duke of Oneida 
brought $12,000. In 1869 Daniel McMillan sold at Xenia, 
Ohio, at auction 71 head which averaged $864.61 each, while 
in 1874 Colonel W. S. King of Minnesota sold in Chicago 
79 head at an average of $1628 each, the bull Second Duke of 
Hillhurst selling at $14,000. Between 1870 and 1880 there 
were sold 26,151 Shorthorns at auction in the United States at 
an average price of $294 per head. Between 1891 and 1900 
inclusive the Kansas Board of Agriculture reports 15,741 head 
sold at auction at an average price of $138.41. One of the most 
important high-priced sales of recent years was the dispersal 
sale of the Uppermill Herd of W. S. Marr in Scotland in 1904, 
when 113 animals brought about $780 each, the bull Bapton 
Favorite heading the list at ;^I200, or $6000. At this same 
time William Duthie of Collynie, Tarves, near by, sold 18 bull 
calves at an average of about $1 130 each. 

The geographical distribution of the Shorthorn is most wide- 
spread, no other breed equaling it in this respect. It is so well 
suited to a wide range of conditions, and has been so extensively 
distributed, that it has been termed "the universal intruder." 
It is generally found in North America ; in South America, more 
particularly in Argentina ; in Europe, being the most promi- 
nent breed on the British Isles, although bred to some extent on 
the Continent ; in Australasia, where it has long met with favor ; 
and to some extent in South Africa and Asia. In the United 
States the Shorthorn is the most popular breed of cattle, as 
attendance at the great shows, especially in the states of the 
Mississippi Valley north of the Ohio, will demonstrate. The CA'i- 
dence of its wide distribution speaks for the adaptability of the 
breed. However, on the western range, under severe winter 
conditions, and where " roughing it " is required, the Shorthorn 
will not thrive quite e(|ual to the Hereford or Galloway. 

Organizations for the promotion of Shorthorn cattle precede 
all other breeding associations. The first live-stock registry was 
the Shorthorn herdbook, published by George Coates of York- 
shire, England, in 1822. This forms the foundation of the EnHish 



THE SHORTHORN 



195 



S/iorthorn Ilcrdbook, known as Coatcss Hcrdbook, which in 
1904 attained its fiftieth vokimc. Mr. Coates edited the first 
five volumes when, owing to his death in 1846, he was succeeded 
by Mr. H. Strafford, who served as editor of the next fifteen 
voKunes. The Shorthorn Society of the United Kingdom of 
Great Britain and Ireland in 1876 assumed control of the pub- 
lication of the herdbook, and through its editing committee has 
ever since maintained supervision of the records of the Society. 
The first volume of the American SJiortJiorn Herdbook appeared 
in 1846, being published by Lewis F. Allen of New York. In 
1869 the American ShortJiorn Reco7-d first appeared, being pub- 
lished by A. J. Alexander of Kentucky, and ten volumes were 
issued. In 1878 the Ohio Shorthorn Breeders' Association pub- 
lished a record and followed it with two others. In 1882 the 
American Shorthorn Breeders' Association absorbed these and 
continued the publication of the old herdbook established by 
Allen. The Canadian Shorthorn Herdbook first appeared in 
1867, the British American Short J torn Herdbook appeared in 
1881, and the Z>^;«z;/wz Shorthorn Herdbook in 1887, the latter 
absorbing the other two. The American Shorthorn Herdbook 
now numbers sixty-five volumes, and new volumes are appearing 
yearly. Already over 600,000 Shorthorns have been registered in 
the United States, and many thousands in Canada. This breed 
is also promoted by several state Shorthorn breeders' associations. 



1 


-^ — - 


m 


4 




W\^^^ "^ 7f- '^TtV 'W'^-.-^v- 



Fig. 78. Shorthorns of the Royal lloii.se on ihc i)a>uiic at \\ iiiJ.-^or, 
England. Photograph by the author 



1 96 CAITLE 

Men who have done much to promote the Shorthorn in America 
since early days are many. In the United States the breeders 
number thousands. Among those who rendered signal service in 
promoting the breed during the latter part of the last century are 
the following : Lewis F. Allen, J. O. Sheldon, and Samuel Thorne 
of New York ; R. A. Alexander, B. F. and A. Van Meter, 
B. B. Groom & Son, the Renicks, T. S. Moberly, and William 
Warfield of Kentucky ; A. C. Stevenson, General Solomon Mere- 
dith, Thomas Wilhoit, S. F. Lockridge, and Robbins & Sons of 
Indiana ; J. H. Potts, J. H. Pickrell, and C. B. Dustin of Illinois ; 
Luther Adams, Robert Miller, John Myers, and C. C. Norton of 
Iowa ; W. A. Harris of Kansas ; George Harding of Wisconsin ; 
and T. C. Jones, Daniel McMillan, and C. L. Gerlaugh of Ohio. 
In Canada M. II. Cochrane and George Brown had very famous 
herds. In connection with this subject Mr. A. H. Sanders, manag- 
ing editor of the Breeders Gazette, should be mentioned as one 
who with his able pen has done more to promote the interests 
of the Shorthorn than any other author of recent years. 



CHAPTER XXVII 

THE POLLED DURHAM 

The origin of the Polled Durham. In consideration of the fact 
that Polled Durham cattle are either pure-bred Shorthorns or 
nearly so, the author does not regard it as necessary to devote 
much space to them other than historical, for otherwise what 
applies to the Shorthorn applies to the Polled Durham, excepting 
in the head variation. This so-called breed is divided into two 
groups, and the origin of each may be discussed separately. 

The << single standard" Polled Durham was the first type of 
hornless Shorthorn to attract attention in America. This is the 
result of uniting native mulley cows with pure-bred Shorthorn 
bulls. Cattle of such blood lines are quite commonly designated 
as "single standard," because of being eligible to registration 
only in the Polled Durham Herdbook. When the movement 
for dehorning got well started nearly twenty years ago, men here 
and there began to seek combinations by which the horns might 
be bred off. Some men who were breeders of Shorthorns, or 
who believed in the Shorthorn type, sought to breed hornless 
cattle. Among the pioneers in this work were W. S. Miller, 
Dr. W. W. Crane, R. Clawson, and Peter Shafer of Ohio, J. F. 
Burleigh of Illinois, J. H. Miller of Indiana, and T. Dunham of 
Iowa. These men used pure Shorthorn bulls on mulley cows of 
Shorthorn type, and so finally developed what they termed the 
Polled Durham breed. Cattle of this breeding were quite like 
Shorthorns, tending toward the dual-purpose type, were inclined 
to be leggy, and hardly met the demands of the Shorthorn 
critics for thickness of flesh. Those that had true polled heads 
were used for breeding, and thus gradually was developed, mainly 
in western Ohio, herds of Polled Durham cattle. 

The "double standard" Polled Durham represents the demand 
of Shorthorn breeders and others for a pure hornless class of 

197 



I 98 CATTLE 

Shorthorn cattle. These are often termed "double standard" 
because of being eligible to registration in both the Amcricati 
Shorthorn Hcrdbook and the Polled Durham Hcrdbook. Very 
naturally, with the development of the " single standard " class, 
breeders began to watch for pure-bred Shorthorns free of horns. 
This branch has its origin in several Shorthorn families, notably 
the White Rose, Young Phyllis, and Gwynne. 

The cow Oakwood Gwynne 4th, registered in Volume XV 
of the American Shorthorn Herdbook, was bred by W. S. King 




Fig. 79. Golden Hero 2847-150363, the leading Polled Durham bull on 
the show circuit in 1903 and 1904. Grand champion male of the breed 
at the Louisiana Purchase E,\])osition, 1904. Owned and exhibited by 
A. C. Woods & Sons, Pendleton, Indiana. Photograph from owners 

of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and was calved May 12, 1873. She 
had but very slight horns, or scurs, being almost polled. Bred to 
Seventh Duke of Hillhurst 34221, she produced twin female 
calves, Mollie Gwynne and Nellie Gwynne (Vol. XXIII, p. 728), 
that developed true polled heads. When later bred to Bright 
Eyes Duke 3 1 894, she produced as a result a red bull calf that 
was a true polled animal, which is recorded as King of Kine 
87412. In 1888 W. S. Miller of Elmore, Ohio, purchased these 
three offspring of Oakwood Gwynne 4th, and with them 
developed a herd of pure polled Shorthorns. King of Kine was 
used in the herd three years and proved a very prepotent breeder, 



THE POLLED DURHAM 



199 



some 90 per cent of his calves from horned cows being polled. 
He was used on cows of the Rose of Sharon, Young Mary, and 
Phyllis tribes with much success. Then a son of his, Ottawa 
Duke 109292, out of Nellie Gwynne, was used in the herd, and 
all his offspring proved hornless. Later he came into the posses- 
sion of Dr. W. W. Crane, in whose herd he rendered valuable 
service. Ottawa Duke sired Miami Boy 1 165 17, and Tippecanoe 
4th 12 1 365, well-known sires in the Crane herd. Mr. J. H. 




Fig. 80. Ruby of Buttonwood, grand champion Polled Durham cow at 
the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904. Owned by Fletcher S. 
Hines, Indianapolis, Indiana. Photograph by the author 



Miller of Indiana early became a celebrated breeder of Polled 
Durhams, and in 1893, with some others, made at the World's 
Columbian Exposition the first notable exhibit of this breed. 
Mr. Miller's bull Young Hamilton 114 169, a pure Shorthorn, 
and the Columbian Exposition Polled Durham Sweepstakes male, 
rendered valuable ])ioneer ser\ice in his herd. 

The important requirements for registering Polled Durham 
cattle, as originally adopted by the American Polled Durham 
Association, were as follows: (i) they must have true polled 
heads ; (2) the cattle must have the color and characteristic 



200 CATTLE 

markings of the Shorthorn ; (3) they must have not less than 
87 i per cent of Shorthorn blood in 1893, at least 93^ per cent 
after 1896, and fully 96^ per cent after 1899. Volume III of the 
American Polled Durham Ilenlbook, published in 1905, con- 
tains the by-laws of the American Polled Durham Association 
as adopted April 29, 1902. Section X, which qualifies registra- 
tion and covers the old rule, is as follows : 

Animals to be eligible to entry in the American Polled Durliatn Herdbook 
must be at least six months old ; must be naturally hornless ; must have 
both parents recorded therein or have one parent recorded in the book and 
the other parent recorded in the American Shorthorn Herdbook or other gen- 
erally accepted shorthorn herdbook ; and further, must have an ancestry, 
that are eligible, recorded in the American Polled Durham Herdbook. 

The promotion of Polled Durham interests is officially super- 
vised by the American Polled Durham Breeders' Association, 
organized at Chicago in 1889. Three volumes of the herdbook 
have since been published up to 1906. It is to be noted in this 
connection that breeders are seeking to produce mainly Polled 
Durhams eligible to registration in the Avicriean Shorthorn Herd- 
book. The greater the percentage of " double standard " Polled 
Durhams produced the less the necessity of maintaining an inde- 
pendent herdbook for the polled cattle of the breed. 

The distribution of Polled Durhams is fairly widespread in 
the United States, but Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and 
other Mississippi Valley states lead in their development. In 
1894 Mr. J. H. Miller of Indiana exported several head to the 
Argentine in South America, and since then has from time to 
time made other shipments to the same country. 

The popularity of the Polled Durham is undoubtedly growing, 
and good specimens of this type are to-day essentially equal in 
merit with other Shorthorns, either as beef producers or as dual- 
purpose cattle. 

The prepotency of the Polled Durham is well established, the 
polled bulls used in Shorthorn herds, as a rule, siring offspring 
free from horns. 



CHAPTER XXVIII 
THE HEREFORD 

The native home of the Hereford breed of cattle is the county of 
Hereford, located in the upper part of the lower third of England, 
with Wales for its w^estern boundary. The county is gently rolling 
in places, while in other sections it is quite hilly, and superior 
grazing generally prevails. In this county Herefords are exten- 
sively bred, almost to the exclusion of all other kinds of cattle. 

The origin of the Hereford, like that of other English breeds, 
is clouded in obscurity. Some have regarded this breed as 
descended from the aboriginal cattle. This opinion has been 
expressed by Youatt and by T. Duckham, the latter once promi- 
nent as editor of the Hereford Herdbook. In 1788 William 
Marshall, a well-known English judge of cattle, gave it as his 
belief that the Hereford might be regarded as the first breed on 
the island. This was written when the Longhorn and Devon 
were popular and the Shorthorn was coming into favor rapidly. 
Some have accounted for Hereford color and type as due to the 
importation into Hereford by Lord Scudamore, prior to 167 1, 
of some white-faced cattle from Holland or Flanders. Some 
emphasis has been laid on the fact that an ancestor of Tully, a 
Hereford breeder, used a white-faced bull in his herd that had 
come from Yorkshire. Perhaps the wisest argument is the influ- 
ence of the white cattle of Wales whose blood naturally must 
have mingled with the darker-colored animals of the adjoining 
region. Hereford color, however, has varied during the history 
of the breed. Marshall in 1788 wrote that the prevailing color 
was red with a bald face. In time a wider range of color crept 
in, so that in 1845, when Eyton published the first herdbook, 
he grouped Herefords into four classes, viz. mottled-faced, light 
gray, dark gray, and red with white face. Twenty-five years later, 
however, all of the colors but the last were practically extinct. 



202 CATTLE 

Early Hereford breeders date back well into the eii^hteenth 
century. Among the earliest of prominence were the Messrs. 
Haywood of Clifton-on-Teme, William Galliers of Wigmore 
Grange and his sons William and John, Richard Tomkins of 
New House, King's Pyon, and his son "Benjamin the Elder," 
and the latter's son "Benjamin the Younger." Besides these 
the Tullys of Huntington, Haywood, and Clyro, and the Skyrmes 
of Strettt)n and Dewsall, were prominently identified with early 
Hereford improvement. 

The Tomkins family has the greatest fame among early Here- 
ford improvers. Richard Tomkins, of whose history little is 
known, who died in 1723, left to his son Benjamin of Court 
House, Canon Pyon, some cattle above the average, including 
the cow Silver and her calf. This son, Benjamin the Elder, was 
born in 17 14 and died in 1789 at Wellington Court, where he 
had lived since 1758. He was a most successful breeder and 
possessed a noted herd of cattle. A son of his, also named Ben- 
jamin, and designated "the Younger," was born in 1745 and 
died in 18 15. He farmed at Blackball, King's Pyon, and later 
at Wellington Court and Brook House, King's Pyon. This latter 
member of the family was the great improver. He bred closely 
in-and-in, using only bulls of his own breeding, one of which. 
Silver Bull (41), was a famous sire and perhaps his best, being a 
noted improver of stock. The bull Wellington (4) was also an 
almost equally famous sire. Through Tomkins's efforts Here- 
fords gradually matured earlier, produced less offal, became 
shorter of leg and more refined, and better covered over the back. 
He also gave the breed more character. His cattle presented 
some range of Hereford color. In 18 19 his herd of fifty-two 
animals was sold at auction, 28 head of breeding stock bring- 
ing over $20,000, averaging nearly $750 (^149) each, the bull 
Phoenix (55) bringing $2800. 

William Galliers of W^igmore Grange, was born in 171 3 and 
died in 1779. He was intimate with Benjamin Tomkins the Polder 
and they used much of the .same blood in develoj^ing their herds. 
His cattle passed into the hands of his son, John Galliers of Frog- 
don, who was born in 1 75 5 and died in 1 828. Another son, William, 
Jr., a celebrated breeder, was born in 1744 and died in 1832. 



'IHK HEREFORD 



203 



Early nineteenth-century Hereford breeders of note arc John 
Price, John Hewer, and Thomas Jeffries. 

John Price of Ryall was born in 1776 and died in 1843. He 
was a close friend and disciple of Tomkins the Younger, from 
whom he obtained some of his best stock. He practiced in-and- 
in breeding and developed a famous herd. One of his cows, Toby 
Pigeon by Toby (5), was a remarkable cow, dropping him 19 
calves. Nearly his entire herd, sold in 1841, descended from her. 
This cow herself, when 22 years old, brought $70. Price much 




Fic. 81. Earl of Shadeland 22d 27147, by Garfield 7015. The champion 
Hereford bull of 1888, known as " The Record Breaker." This bull, one 
of the famous ones of his day, is held by Mr. John Lewis, long the 
successful manager of the great Shadeland herd at La Fayette, Indiana, 
now dispersed. Photograph by the author 

improved the breed, securing great scale and constitution. He 
had auction sales in 18 13, 18 16, and 1841, realizing over $83,000 
total proceeds. 

John Hewer (1787- 1873) was a son of William Hewer, also 
in his day a Hereford breeder of eminence. He did much to 
improve the breed and laid great emphasis on scale and quality 
and uniformity of color. He had four favorite strains. Countess, 
Lofty, Red Rose, and Fanny, from which his cattle mainly de- 
scend. He let out bulls to service for large sums, and bred and 
owned many of the most eminent Herefords of the century. 
The following bulls bred by him are among the notable ones in 
the history of this breed : Sovereign (404), Lottery (410), Byron 



204 



CAllLI': 



(440), Hope (411), Chance (355), Defiance (416), Prince Dan- 
gerous (362), Lot (364), Lottery 2d (408), Young Favorite 
(413), Wonder (420), Fitzfavorite (441), Hamlet (512), Original 
ist (455), Young Waxy (451), Purslow (446) and Conqueror 
(412). There is scarcely a line of Hereford breeding to-day that 
is not traceable to the Hewer stock. 

Thomas Jeffries, of The Grove, Pembridge, and other estates, 
was born in 1796 and died in 1843. He was a son of Thomas 
Jeffries, and came from a family of well-known Hereford 
breeders. He first began with the Hereford stock developed by 
the family, but later infused the blood of cattle bred by John 
Hewer, hiring from him Sovereign, Lottery, Byron, and Fitz- 
favorite. This blending of blood brought about remarkable suc- 
cess, and Jeffries produced numerous famous animals. Cotmore 
(376), by Sovereign, which he bred, has been classed as one of 
the finest Hereford bulls of history. 

Foundation Herefords of importance are the following : Silver 
Cow of Richard Tomkins ; Pigeon and Mottle of Benjamin Tom- 
kins the Elder ; Welling- 
ton (4), Silver Bull (41), 
Slit Teat Cow, Storrell, 
Old Rose, and Old Lovely 
of Benjamin Tomkins the 
Younger ; Toby Pigeon, 
by Toby (5), of John 
Price. These were really 
fundamental stock in the 
early establishment of the 
breed. Among other very 
important Hereford males 
that had a great influence 
on the breed in England 
in the last century may be mentioned Sovereign (404), Old 
Wellington (507), Old Silver (540), Waxy (403). Cotmore (376), 
Lottery (410). Chance (348), Sir David (349), Walford (871), 
Sir Benjamin (1387), Sir Thomas (2228), Horace (3877), Winter 
De Cote (4253), and Lord Wilton (4740). These bulls are insep- 
arably associated with the develoi^ment of the breed in luigland. 




Ii'.. • . I i.ilr III i |M . Ii\ ( 'oluml)u.s 51S75. One 
of the greatest Hereford bulls in the history 
of the breed, both as sire and show bull. 
Bred by Clem Graves, Bunker Hill. Indiana. 
Photograph by the author 



THE HEREFORD 



205 



The introduction of the Hereford to America first occurred, so 
far as records show, in 18 17, when Henry Clay brought four 
head to his home at Lexington, Kentucky, one bull dying in 
transit. About 1825 Admiral Coffin of the British navy sent the 
bull Sir Isaac and a cow as a gift to the Massachusetts Society 




Fig. 83. Fire King (22135), first-prize and champion Hereford bull at the 
Royal Agricultural Society of England Show, 1904. Exhibited by King 
Edward. Photograph from the A^ational Stockman and Farmer 

for Promoting Agriculture. Later other importations followed in 
a small way. In 1840 W. H. Sotham, a native of Herefordshire, 
England, who had previously emigrated to America, imported to 
Albany, New York, in partnership with Erastus Corning, Jr., 
twenty-one cows and heifers and a two-year-old bull. This 
importation was followed by others in 1840, 1843, 18 5 2-1 85 3, and 
1861-1862. Sotham worked hard to promote the breed, but nei- 
ther the Kentucky, Massachusetts, nor New York importations 
awoke enthusiasm. Burleigh and Bodwell of Maine also imported 
some about 1840, and in 185 1 John Humphries and Thomas 
Aston of Ohio did the same. In i860 F. W. Stone of Guelph, 



2o6 CATTLE 

Ontario, Canada, ])cgan importing", and became a most important 
factor in promoting the breed in that country. Later, about 1 875, 
T. L. Miller of Beecher, Illinois, became interested. He was a man 
of wealth and ability and did much to introduce Herefords into 
the West, and insist on the public recognizing the merits of the 
breed for the range country. Miller exhibited at fairs, and in i Zyj 
his cattle attracted the attention of C. M. Culbertson of Illinois and 
Adams Earl, Moses Fowler, and W. S. Van Natta of Indiana, all 
of whom became noted breeders and importers. Culbertson, in 
1879, imported thirteen head, and in 1880 over one hundred of the 
choicest quality and breeding. Besides the above breeders, high 
place in the development of the Hereford in America must be 
accorded Thomas Clark, George W. Henry, George F. Morgan, 
and George Leigh of Illinois ; T. F. B. Sotham, son of William 
H., Gudgell & Simpson, O. Harris, and J. A. P^unkhouser of 
Missouri ; C. A. Stannard of Kansas ; John Hooker of Ohio ; 
C. B. Stuart, F. A. Nave, and Clem Graves, of Indiana ; W. H. 
Curtice and Giltner Brothers of Kentucky ; and H. C. Burleigh 
of Maine, who was the leading breeder in New England. 

Hereford cattle of note in America date back in an important 
sense only to the time of T. L. Miller. From about 1880 many 
animals of much merit were imported. Among these history ac- 
cords high place to Success 2, Sir Richard 2d 970a, The Grove 
3d 2490, Sir Bartle Frere 6419, Garfield 701 5, Anxiety 2238, and 
Tregehan 6203. Among American-bred Herefords the following 
in particular are of distinction: Fowler 12899 by Tregehan, 
Anxiety 4th 9904 by Anxiety, Corrector 48975 by Harold 
21 141, Peerless Wilton 12774 by Garfield, Dale 66481 by 
Columbus 51875, Earl of Shadeland 22d 27147, and Earl of 
Shadeland 41st 33478, both by Garfield, and Beau Donald 58996. 
Dale and Earl of Shadeland 2 2d were without doubt two of the 
finest show specimens of the breed ever produced in this country, 
and each gave eminently satisfactory service in the herd. 

Hereford characteristics. This breed has undergone more of an 
evolution and made more improvement than any other beef breed 
in America, unless it be the Galloway. In 1788 Marshall gave 
the following description of the breed, which sixty years later 
Youatt stated was tolerably correct. 



THE HERKKORI) 



207 



The countenance pleasant, cheerful, open ; the forehead broad ; eye full 
and lively ; horns bright, taper, and spreading ; head small ; chap lean ; 
neck long and tapering ; chest deep ; bosom broad and projecting forward ; 
shoulder bone thin, flat, no way protuberant in bone (?), but full and mellow 
in flesh ; chest full ; loin broad ; hips standing wide and level with the 
chine ; quarters long and.wide at the neck ; rump even with the level of the 
back and not drooping nor standing high and sharp above the quarters ; tail 
slender and neatly haired ; barrel round and roomy ; the carcass throughout 
deep and well spread ; ribs broad, standing flat and close on the outer sur- 
face, forming a small even barrel, the hindmost large and full of length ; 
round bone small, snug, and not prominent ; thigh clean and regularly taper- 
ing ; legs upright and short : bone below the knee and hock small ; feet 



■M J^^— ^ 




Fig. 84. Shadeland Cora 36693, by Earl of Shadeland zzd 27147. A very 
high-class Hereford cow in field condition in pasture at Shadeland 
Stock Farm, La Fayette, Indiana. Photograph by the author 

of middle size ; flank large ; flesh everywhere mellow, soft, and yielding 
pleasantly to the touch, especially on the chine, the shoulder, and the ribs ; 
hide mellow, supple, of a middle thickness, and loose on the neck and huckle ; 
coat neatly haired, bright, and silky ; color a middle red with a bald face, 
characteristic of the true Herefordshire breed. 

While this description has an important application to the 
Hereford of to-day, in certain respects the breed has been 
materially improved over what it was twenty-five years ago. Two 
features which have subjected the breed to much criticism have 
been excess of throat iness and dewlap, and lack of development 
of rump and hind ciuarter. The r//;/// has lacked in levelness and 



2o8 CATTLE 

fullness, while the thighs have been thin and pared off, being 
deficient in thickness and depth. These deficiencies, however, 
have been materially bred out in many herds, so that the 
criticisms do not have the weight they formerly did. The color 
markings have also become more uniform, and the white face, 
breast, top of neck, and legs from knee and hock down, and per- 
haps belly, with the balance of body red, are characteristics to- 
day that are well established. The shade of red varies, but that 
of a medium hue is most prevalent. The slioiildcr is most beauti- 
fully laid and covered with flesh, this being a Hereford character- 
istic scarcely equaled by any other breed. The spring and depth 
of rib and consequent expansion of body is striking, and a wide, 
long loin and thickness and depth of chest clearly account for 
the vigor and constitution so universally acknowledged for this 
breed. The Jicad of the bull is different in type from that of 
other breeds, being rather short and broad both in forehead and 
muzzle, and often slightly dished of face, crowned with white or 
waxy yellow horns which spring forward and down with graceful 
curve. The neck is usually very smoothly blended into the 
shoulder, furnishing a most attractive front. In fact, even to-day 
the fore part of the Hereford usually delights the critics, while 
the hind part often meets with unfavorable comment. In meat 
pt'oductioa high rank is accorded, with a general distribution of 
thick well-marbled flesh over the body and especially the back. 
The coat of hair \n winter is usually thicker and more curly than 
that of any breed excepting the Galloway and West Highland, 
furnishing an abundant protection. In constitutional vigor Here- 
fords are of the first rank. As milk produces the cows average 
below medium and are specially open to criticism in this particu- 
lar. No class of breeders carry so many nurse cows on the show 
circuit as do the Hereford men. In si:::e this is one of the largest 
breeds, the males often weighing 2200 and the females 1500 or 
more. From very early times great scale was sought, and it is 
said that in 18 15 the bull Wellington weighed 2912 pounds and 
in 1820 the cow Silk 2000 pounds. The Hewers emphasized 
size and quality, and their bull The General (125 i) is reported to 
have weighed 3640 pounds when six years old. It may also be 
said that Herefords weigh heavy for their size. In quality the 



JHE HEREFORD 



209 



breed is usually distinctly superior, showing fine hair, a mellow, 
elastic skin of medium thickness, and fine bone. In tcmper- 
avicjit Herefords are less docile than Shorthorns under similar 
conditions, and do not so readily accustom themselves to the 
confinement of limited cjuarters where grazing is not abundant. 

The Herefords as meat producers have always ranked high. For 
many years their meat held the highest place at the Smithfield 
market in London. At the first fifty-two annual meetings of the 
Smithfield Club, with various breeds in competition, 185 prizes 




Fig. 85. Lorna Doone 94479, by Christopher 69072. Grand champion Here- 
ford cow at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904, and at various other 
leading exhibitions, and noted as a great speciitren of the breed. Bred and 
owned by W. S. Van Natta & Son. Photograph by the author 

went to Hereford steers or oxen and only 190 to all other breeds or 
crosses combined. In recent years the Hereford has not been so 
uniformly successful, owing to the influence of Aberdeen Angus 
and Shorthorn, but even to-day it may be classed in the first rank. 
At the 1905 International Live Stock Exposition at Chicago a 
car load of grade Hereford steers exhibited by D. W. Black of 
Ohio, champions in their class, dressed out 65.1 per cent, the 
record of yearling steers. In early maturity no breed excels the 
Hereford, and for producing " baby beef " it is of the best. 



2IO CAI'll-l': 

Hereford steers in American fat stock shows have done exceed- 
ingly well. At the Chicago Fat Stock Show the following Here- 
ford grand championships were awarded between 1878 and 1892 : 
in 1883 Roan Boy, a grade sired by a Hereford bull out of a 
Shorthorn cow; 1885, the grade Regulus ; 1886, Rudolph J., 
a pure-bred; 1891, Hickory Nut, a pure-bred. At the Inter- 
national Live Stock Exposition but one grand championship has 
been secured by a pure-bred Hereford, this by The Woods 
Principal in 1902. In 1903 the grand champion was Challenger, 
a grade sired by a Hereford and shown by Nebraska University. 
In the pure-bred and grade classes large shows of Herefords are 
made each year at the Kansas City Fat Stock Show and at the 
International. In car-load exhibits Mr. D. W. Black of Ohio 
has attained a national reputation for showing high-grade Here- 
fords, winning the grand championship at the Louisiana Purchase 
Exposition Show in 1904 and at the International Live Stock 
Exposition on two occasions. In 1903 W. J. Herrin of Illinois 
won the grand championship on car-load lot at the International. 
It may be said that, in the killing, Herefords dress out a high 
percentage of carcass compared with other breeds. 

The geographical distribution of the Herefo rd is very wide. 
In Great Britain it is chiefly bred in Herefordshire and vicinity, 
though herds are kept with success in Scotland, Ireland, and 
Wales. The Hereford, however, is best adapted to agrazing 
region of a fair degree of level surface, and its introduction 
to the plains of Australia, New Zealand, Argentine Republic, 
Canada, and the United States has met with very great success. 
No breed equals the Hereford for withstanding the vicissitudes 
of the great ranges, where winter's cold and scarcity of feed 
frequently obtain. The thick coat of hair, the robust constitu- 
tion, and easy keeping quality of the breed make it unusually 
suited to such conditions. Hereford bulls have accomplished 
remarkably fine results on the native cattle on the western range 
in the United States, and many herds, particularly in the South- 
west, are graded up to very superior character. For the restricted 
surroundings of the eastern farm, where grazing is not so abun- 
dant, the Hereford is not so well suited. Yet in New England, 
and especially in Maine, Herefords have long been jiopular. The 



THE HEREFORD 



21 I 



oxen of this breed ha\e for many years met with favor in the 
hills of New England. In the United States, however, the Here- 
ford is chiefly found west of the Mississippi, though herds are 
found in all the northern states. 

Prices for Herefords have never passed through such extreme 
variations as have the Shorthorns, though some very high ones 
have been paid. Lord Wilton (4740) was sold at auction in 1884 




Fig. S6. Black's Ohio Champion. A grade yearling Hereford range steer, held 
by the noted feeder, D. W. Black, Lyndon, Ohio. Bred by Swenson Bros, 
of Te.\as. One of the grand champion car lot of feeder calves at the 1904 
show of the International Live Stock Exposition. Also one of the first- 
prize car lot of yearlings fed by Mr. Black for the 1905 show. Purchased 
by the Ohio State University. Photograph by the author 

for $19,000, but the buyer could not cash his bid, so the bull was 
later sold to William Tudge and Thomas Fenn for $5000. The 
highest price paid for a Hereford in America was for Crusader 
86596, at the sale of Clem Graves of Indiana, on September 16, 
1902, which brought ;^ 10,000, and the cow Dolly 2d 61799 
which brought $7000, both being purchased by Edward Haw- 
kins of Indiana. The bull Perfection 92891, by Dale, on Jan- 
uary 7, 1902, was purchased at the sale of Thomas Clark in 



212 



cattlp: 



Chicago by G. H. Hoxic of Illinois for $9000. Among some of 
the other high-priced Herefords may be mentioned the imported 
bulls The Grove 3d 2490, purchased by Adams Earl for $7000 ; 
Sir Bartle Frere 6419, by the same, for $3500; and Protector, 
by F. A. Nave, for $6000. A summary of sales of 5647 head 
as sold at auction from 1891 to 1900 inclusive, published by the 
Kansas Board of Agriculture, shows an average price of $236.92. 
The organization of Hereford cattle interests is well established 
in England and the United States. The Hereford Herdbook 
was first published in 1846 by T. C. Eyton, and in 1884 the 
Hereford Cattle Breeders' Association of England was organized, 
and took over the publication of the herdbook, of which about 
thirty volumes have been published. T. L. Miller of Illinois pub- 
lished in 1 88 1 the first Aincriam Hereford Herdbook, and the 
same year the American Hereford Breeders' Association was 
organized. Up to January i, 1906, there had been published 
twenty-seven volumes, showing a registration of 205,000 animals. 




Fig. 87. A pasture view in Herefordshire. I'liolograph by the author 



CHAPTER XXIX 

THE ABERDEEN ANGUS 

The native home of the Aberdeen Angus breed of cattle is in 
northeastern Scotland, especially in the counties of Aberdeen, 
Kincardine, and Forfar. In southern Aberdeen, in the Buchan 
district, the breed was long known as "Buchan humlies," while 
in the section of Forfar known as Angus these cattle were called 
" Angus Doddies." The words "humle " and " dodded " are the 
Scotch terms for polled or hornless. This section of Scotland is 
north of 56° and lies about a thousand miles north of the latitude 
of Chicago. The climate is rather damp and cold much of the 
time. The land is hilly or mountainous in the main, much of it 
being better suited to grazing than anything else, though roots, 
oats, and hay are quite extensively produced. 

The origin of the Aberdeen Angus is purely speculative. 
Among the wild white cattle of Britain were polled animals, and 
the Aberdeen Angus may have descended from these. Some of 
the Scotch writers incline to the belief that this breed is a sport 
from a black breed with horns, which formerly existed in Scot- 
land. Hornless cattle have been known in Scotland for long over 
a century. In an account book kept by a Mr. Graham record 
is made June 9, 1752, of purchasing a two-year-old heifer " doded." 
The first printed reference to hornless cattle in Angus is dated 
1797 in the Old Statistical Account of the parish of Bendochy, 
where it is said of 1229 cattle in the parish " many of them are 
dodded, wanting horns." Youatt, about 1835, wTotc "that there 
have always been polled cattle in Angus," and states that attention 
was first directed to them by enterprising farmers about 1775. 
Mr. William Forbes of Aberdeenshire, writing Macdonald and 
Sinclair over thirty years ago, mentions two sorts of polled cattle 
common in Buchan about the beginning of the last century. One 
of these was a rather small, puny type, thin-fleshed, such as the 



214 CATTLE 

crofters (small farm renters) kept ; the other a larger kind, some 
black, some brindled, which more readily submitted to Shorthorn 
blood than did the former, and lacked its power of reproduction 
of polled character. 

The earliest improvers of Aberdeen Angus cattle include the 
Watson family, William McCombie, Lord Panmure, Lord South- 
esk, William Fiillerton, Mr. I^owie at Mains of Kelly, Sir George 
Macpherson Grant, and Mr. Robert Walker. Numerous other 
breeders materially assisted in the improvement during the first 
third of the nineteenth century, though none of these accom- 
plished as much as the first two named. 

Hugh Watson of Keillor, Meigle, Forfar, was the first really 
great Aberdeen Angus improver, the Colling of this breed. He 
was born in 1789, became a tenant at Keillor in 1808, and 
remained there 56 years, dying in 1865. His father and grand- 
father were lovers of good cattle, and when Hugh went to Keil- 
lor he took six cows and a bull, all black, with him. He also 
bought the same year at Brechin ten of the best heifers of various 
colors that he could find, and a black bull named Tarnty Jock. 
Most writers assume that Watson began his work of improvement 
on settling at Keillor, but his daughter states that this did not 
begin until about 181 5 or 18 16, his ambition being aroused by 
a visit to the English Shorthorn country. Watson in-and-in bred 
and produced a more early-maturing, heavier-fleshed, blockier type 
that dressed out better than ever before. He also emphasized 
family lines and bred each family rather within itself. His bull 
Old Jock (i), calved in 1842, a great-grandson of Tarnty Jock, 
was his most valuable sire, possessing remarkable quality and 
constitution, and was a famous show animal. Watson's most 
famous cow. Old Grannie (i), was one of the wonders of the 
bovine race. She lived to be 36 years old and had 25 calves, the 
last, a bull of merit, Hugh (130), being dropped in her twenty- 
ninth year. Watson won hundreds of prizes at the shows and 
did much to imi)r(>\e and popularize the breed. 

William McCombie was born at Tillyfour, Aberdeen, in 1805 
and died in 1880, a few months before the dispersal of his herd. 
In 1830 he began a polled herd and purchased from the best 
breeders of his county. He was a great believer in the importance 



THE ABERDEEN ANGUS 



215 



of individual merit coupled with superior pedigree, and em- 
phasized the value of the sire. At William Fullerton's sale he 
bought Queen Mother (348) from which he developed the famous 
Queen tribe. McCombie bred Pride of Aberdeen (581), the 
founder of the Pride family and one of the most famous show 
cows of the breed. McCombie improved on the work of Watson 
and became his worthy successor. His success in the show ring 
was marvelous. He not only exhibited at the leading Scotch 




Fig. 88. Lucy's Prince 4'-'iSj, by Ringmaster. Grand champion Aberdeen 
Angus bull at the International Live Stock Exposition in 1903 and 1904. 
A well-known prize winner at leading shows elsewhere. Owned by D. 
Bradfute & Son, Xenia, Ohio. Photograph by the author 



shows but also in France on four different occasions, always 
with eminent success. In 1878 his herd at the Paris Interna- 
tional Exposition won the grand championship against all breeds 
and attracted international attention. Many regard McCombie 
as the most distinguished improver and promoter of the breed. 

Sir George Macpherson Grant of Ballindalloch is considered the 
most important of modern Aberdeen Angus breeders. Cattle of 
this kind had been bred on his estate for very many years and were 
long of high repute, but since the dispersal of the McCombie 
herd in 1880, the Ballindalloch herd has been regarded as the 



2i6 CATILK 

premier one of Scotland. Here some of the best bulls of the 
breed produced in the past twenty-five years have been bred, 
including Juryman (421), Ermine Bearer 1749, King of Trumps 
2690, Bushranger (732), Justice 854, Judge 473, Prince Ito 
(50006), Bion 36986, Emulus 20417, Eblito 50098, and Eques- 
trian 34216. The cows Erica 184, Jilt 422, and Coquette 2538 
are among the famous founders of families at Ballindalloch. 

William Fullerton founded a herd at Ardovie in 1834 and 
added much to the prestige of the breed through the use of the 
bull Panmure (51), bought at Lord Panmure's sale in 1841. 
Fullerton bred Queen Mother by Panmure, the cow McCombie 
later purchased, the founder of the Ouccn tribe. 

The Aberdeen Angus tribes in special favor to-day are the fol- 
lowing : Queen descended from Queen Mother (41), Erica from 
Erica 184, Pride from Pride of Aberdeen 38, Blackbird from 
Lady Ida 686, Heather B/oojh from Heather Blossom 306, N'osc- 
gay from Nosegay 2251, and Coquette from Coquette 2538. Of 
these the Blackbird at present is in most favor. There are numer- 
ous other families of merit in addition to the above, but these 
are most popular. 

The introduction of Aberdeen Angus cattle to America was com- 
paratively recent. In 1873 George Grant of Victoria, Kansas, 
brought the first to America, the importation being three bulls, 
two of which were shown at the Kansas State Fair. These bulls 
were imported to use on western range cows. In 1876 the 
Ontario Agricultural College at Guelph brought to Canada two 
bulls and a cow. In 1878 Anderson & Findlay of Lake Poorest, 
Illinois, imported five cows and a bull, this being the first firm 
to exhibit prominently in the Central West. In 1879 F. B. Red- 
field of Batavia, New York, and in 1880 George Whitfield of 
Rougemont, Quebec, made importations. In 1881 and 1882 a 
number of importations were made, including a very superior lot 
by Gudgell & Simpson of Missouri. In 1882 Mr. T. W. Harvey 
established at Turlington, Nebraska, in charge of William Watson, 
a son of the famous Hugh, a herd of Aberdeen Angus that for 
ten years, until its dispersion, was a wonderful factor in advertis- 
ing the breed, containing as it did some of the most noted cattle 
of the time. Others who have been most important contributors to 



THE ABERDEEN ANGUS 



17 



the success of the breed in the United States are J. S. Goodwin, 
L. McWhorter, Evans & Son, Palmer & Palmer, J. J. Rodgers, 
and B. R. Pierce & Son of Illinois ; Leslie & Burwell of Wisconsin ; 
W. A. McHenry and A. C. Binnie of Iowa ; M. A. Judy of Indiana ; 
Wallace Estill and Hugh Elliott of Missouri; J. J. Hill of Min- 
nesota ; D. Bradfute & Son and J. S. Hine of Ohio, and Dr. Craik, 
Mossom Boyd & Co., and M. H. Cochrane of Canada. 

Characteristics of the Aberdeen Angus. In general conforma- 
tion this breed differs somewhat from the Shorthorn and Here- 
ford, the head being polled and the body more cylindrical in 




Fig. S9. Juba of Morlich 62233 (imp.), by Rover of Craibstone 55014. A promi- 
nent Aberdeen Angu.s prize-winning bull. Sold in 1904 by C. H. Gardner of 
Illinois, in public sale for $1200. Photograph by the author 

form, w^hile compactness is a strong feature. The Jiead tapers at 
the poll and is somewhat prominent in the forehead, while the 
distance between the prominent eyes is considerable and the 
length of nose only medium. The head as a whole impresses one 
as belonging to a good feeder type, showing a strong, full muzzle 
and nostril. The iicck is usually smoothly attached to head and 
shoulder, showing excellent finish, but the shoulder sometimes 
tends to be a bit prominent instead of nicely laid. The typical 
body has a rounded rather than sciuarc turn of rib, thus not 



2l8 



cwri'i,!-: 



showing the broad flat loin so cc^mtnon with Shorthorn or Here- 
ford though heavily and thickly fleshed. The ribs show consider- 
able depth, and arc usually very smoothly fleshed over. The back 
tends to dip some at the withers, though with the best speci- 
mens this is not so. The body has a great relative depth, 




I'lii.wu. I.advnt Me.ulowhiDi.k J I 41 III, by Zaire 5th 13067. A noiccl Aberdeen 
Angus show cow, winning the highest awards in 1898, 1899, and 1900 at 
the leading fairs. Owned by D. Bradfute & Son, Xenia, Ohio. Photograph 
from the A'atioiial Stockman and Fanner 

with a corresponding shortness of leg. The hips of the Aberdeen 
Angus are usually nicely covered and well laid in. The rump 
frequently slopes considerably to each side of the tail head, which 
may set level or be a bit high, but is usually long and heavily 
fleshed. The thigh and twist carry as great a relative proportion 
of meat to bone as any breed of beef cattle, though it often lacks 
the squareness of the Shorthorn at theback thigh, being rounder 
in outline and very deep in the twist. The leg is usually rather 
short and fine in quality of bone and joint. The almost universal 
color is black, though red occurs at rare intervals. Originally 
brindles, browns, striped, and reds were common, but these colors 
are in great disfavor and all but black are practically of interest 
only historically. According to the by-laws of the American 
Aberdeen Angus Association, " Males red in color, or with a 



THK ABERDEEN ANGUS 



219 



noticeable amount of pure white above the underUne, or on leg- or 
legs, or with scurs, shall not be eligible to entry for breeding 
purposes." A black cod is preferred in the bull, but white udders 
with cows, with some white between navel and udder on females, 
are not objectionable. Red cows may be registered, however, 
and also black ones with small white spots on head, body, or legs. 
In quality this breed is of the first rank, as shown by the 
mellow, elastic, medium thick skin, the fine coat of hair, and 
moderate joints and small bone. Compared with the Galloway, 
the Aberdeen Angus has a smoother, shorter coat of hair, and 
generally a shorter, blockier type of body, with more spring and 
depth of rib. The temperament in general is somewhat more 




Fig. 91. niackbird 26th 54457, by Black Monarch of Emerson 30331. Grand 
champion Aberdeen Angus female at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 
1904. Owned by W. J. Martin, Churdon, Iowa. Photograph by the author 

nervous than that of the Shorthorn. In iveigJit this breed ranks 
high, and is most deceptive in this respect, bulls easily attaining 
2200 pounds and cows 1400. Some very large specimens of the 
breed are recorded, the famous bull Judge weighing as much as 
2800 pounds and his brother Justice in full flesh exceeding 3000 



2 20 



CAl TLE 



pounds. Probably no breed weighs heavier for its size than this, 
though as a whole it may perhaps be ranked second in weight to 
Shorthorn and Hereford. The quality of its flesh is unsurpassed, 
the grain of the meat being fine, dressing out a large per cent 
of carcass, often up to 65 per cent. 

The Aberdeen Angus in crossing or grading ranks as unsur- 
passed. Bulls of this breed on common cows produce superior 
market cattle. In Scotland a favorite cross is using white Short- 
horn bulls on black polled cattle, thus producing blue-gray cattle 




Fig. 92. \ .lLl ;,;:!. by lunulus of Keillor I'aik zUzSo. The leading first- 
prize and champion Aberdeen Angus cow of 1902 and 1903. Sold by 
C. H. Gardner of Illinois, at auction in 1904, for $750. Photograph from 
the A\i/!oiic7l Sioclaiian and Farmer 

that meet the most discriminating market requirement. On the 
western range the Aberdeen Angus has not secured so strong a 
foothold as the Hereford, but his grade progeny is thick fleshed, 
short of leg, fast maturing, a good feeder, and kills the equal of 
anything in the market. It will be fortunate for our beef-cattle 
interests when more Aberdeen Angus males are used to grade 
up common herds. 

The Aberdeen Angus as a dairy cow ranks very fair, though not 
high. Many excellent milkers exist among them, but the breed 



THE ABERDEEN ANGUS 22 1 

is not the equal of the Shorthorn in this respect. The higher 
class beef type tends away from dairy production in any breed. 

The Aberdeen Angus steer in the show ring has made a remark- 
able record, lor almost since the day of Hugh Watson this breed 
has been at the front as a meat producer. In 1829 Watson 
showed a pair of oxen that attracted much notice, one of which 
was slaughtered and its carcass said to be of rare quality. 
McCombie showed a steer, Black Prince, which at four years 
of age, in 1867, won the highest honors at Birmingham and 




Fig. 93. Clear Lake Jute 2d. A purebred Aberdeen Angus steer. Grand 
champion at the International Live Stock Exposition, Chicago, 1904. 
Fed and shown by the University of Minnesota School of Agriculture. 
Photograph from the A'ational Stockman and Far?ncr 

Smithfield. This steer was sent to Windsor for inspection by 
Queen Victoria, at her request, so great was his fame, and later he 
sold for $600 for slaughter. For years either pure-bred or grade 
Aberdeen Angus steers have held the highest places of honor at 
the leading English fat stock shows, at the Chicago and Kansas 
City fat stock shows, and at the International Live Stock Exposi- 
tion. The following are some of the more important prizes won 
by Aberdeen Angus pure-bred or grade steers in American show 
rings. The first pure steer of the breed shown was Black Prince, 
imported by Geary Brothers of Canada in 1883, and exhibited 



2 2 2 



CATTLE 



that year at the Kansas City and American fat stock shows, 
weighing 2300 pounds as a three-year-old. He was not made 
grand champion, but at Chicago was awarded sweepstakes as the 
best three-year-old beast passed on by butchers. In 1885 the 
steer Sandy, shown by Gudgell & Simpson, won the yearling 
championship of the Kansas City and Chicago shows, and also the 
medal offered by the Polled Cattle Society of Scotland. In 1886 
Sandy was champion steer of the Kansas City show, winning 
numerous prizes for being the best steer shown. At 939 days 
he weighed 1885 pounds. In 1887, at the same show. Black 
Prince of Turlington, a famous bullock exhibited by T. W. Har- 
vey, won the sweepstakes over the steer Dot shown by Messrs. 
Estill of Missouri, though the next year at the American P^at 
Stock Show at Chicago Dot was grand champion over all breeds. 
For some years on, the exhibit of Angus steers did not attract 
much attention, the cattle market being very quiet. 

The Aberdeen Angus steer at the International Live Stock 
Exposition secured premier place from the first. The first Inter- 
national was held in 1900, and since then the steer show there 
has been large and the competition keen. The show in classes 
has been notable, but the breed record in grand championship has 
been equally so, it being as follows : 



Name of Steer 


OWiNER 


Year 
Champion 


Price Sold 
Per Pound 


Advance (pure-bred) . . 
Shamrock (grade) . . . 
Clear Lake Jute 2d (pure- 
bred) 

Black Rock (grade) . . 


B. R. Pierce, Illinois . . 
Iowa Agricultural College . 
Minnesota Agricultural 

College 

Iowa Agricultural College . 


1900 
1902 

1904 
1905 


.56 

■36 
■25 



No other breed has made so fine a record in winning this high 
honor. In car-load lots the Aberdeen Angus also won champion- 
ship at Chicago as follows : 1900, by L. H. Kerrick of Illinois ; 
1902, Charles Eschcr, Iowa; 1904, Claus Krambeck of Iowa; 
1905, Claus KramlK'ck. 

The prices brought by Aberdeen Angus cattle have not ranged 
as high as those brought by Shorthorn or Hereford, but have made 



THE ABERDEEN ANGUS 



223 



a very good showing. Figures compiled by the Kansas Board of 
Agriculture of sales from 189210 1901 inclusive, including 3269 
head, give an average price realized per head of $213.24, the bulls 
averaging 3190.09 and the cows $232.07. The highest prices of 
interest areas follows : Prince Ito 50006, by Eltham (9120), sold 
by M. A. Judy, February 4, 1902, at Chicago to B. R. Pierce & 
Son for $9100, the record price to date for a bull of the breed. 
The female. Blackcap Judy 40226, by Black Monarch of Emer- 
son 30331, at the same sale, offered by Mr. Judy, brought $6300 
from C. H. Gardner of Illinois, the record price for a cow of the 
breed. Other animals that have brought high prices are Gay Lad 
19538 (bull), $3050; Black Knight of Estill 9th (bull), $2100; 
Blackbird Wellington 2d (bull), $3010; Lucia Estill (cow), 
$2800; Waterside Blackcap 155 1 (cow), $2050; Blackbird of 
Corskie 2d 1235 (cow), $2050. Many cattle of this breed have 
sold for from Siooo to $2000 per head. 

The prices brought by Aberdeen Angus steers represent the 
highest of the market. Advance, the grand champion of the 
International of 1900, sold at auction the week of the show for 
$1.50 a pound. He weighed 1430 pounds, bringing $2145, the 
highest ])rice per pound for a steer on record. Mr. W. C. 
McGavock has shown that from 1889 to 1902 inclusive Aber- 
deen Angus cattle have topped the Christmas beef market, the 
prices per hundred ranging from $5.50 to S21.50 in 1901, the 
latter being for the Escher champion car load of steers. 

Famous Aberdeen Angus cattle in America number many ani- 
mals, but the following may be appropriately named. Bulls : 
Ermine Bearer 1749, Black Knight 4751, Heather Lad 2d 
7965, Moon Eclipser 8635, Abbotsford 2702, Black Monarch 
of Emerson 30331, Prince Ito 50006, Gay Lad 19538, Zaire 5th 
13067, Black Abbot 10423, Knight of St. Patrick 354, Bushranger 
732 and Heather Lad of Emerson 2d 19049; cows: Blackbird 
of Corskie 685, Blackbird of Corskie 4th 7931, Rosa Bonheur of 
Turlington 4718, Lady of Meadowbrook 21466, Lucia Windsor 
2775, Heather Blossom 306, Blackcap 1552, Blackcap Judy 
40226, Barbara P. 3d 19801, Progress of Turlington 71 16, 
Heather Bloom of TurHngton 71 17, Abbess of Turlington 9327, 
Zarilda 2d 7057, and Rose of Emerson 3d 22463. 



2 24 CATTLE 

Aberdeen Angus organizations are represented by the Polled 

Cattle Society of Scotland, organized in 1879, and the American 
Aberdeen Angus Breeders' Association, organized in 1883. The 
first Polled Cattle Herdbook was issued in Scotland in 1862, 
and Galloways were registered in the first four volumes of the 
Scotch society. The first volume of the American association 
was published in 1886. Up to January i, 1905, the Scotch 
society had published twenty-nine volumes and the American 
fourteen. About 76,000 Aberdeen Angus cattle had been regis- 
tered in the American herdbooks up to this time. 

The geographical distribution of the Aberdeen Angus is very 
widespread. It is generally found in northern Scotland, in various 
parts of England, Ireland, France, Denmark, Germany, South 
America, New Zealand, Sandwich Islands, Canada, and the 
United States. In America the breed has met with the most 
favor in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri, and on the 
ranges westward of the Mississippi, both north and south. The 
Aberdeen Angus, according to some, is hardly the equal of 
the Hereford on the range, although it holds high rank and is in 
favor there. 



CHAPTER XXX 

THE GALLOWAY 

The native home of Galloway cattle is in southwestern Scot- 
land adjacent to the sea. Here exists a district, comprising the 
counties of Wigton and Kirkcudbright and parts of Ayr and 
Dumfries, that formed the ancient province or kingdom of 
Galloway, and from this the breed takes its name. This region is 
generally rough, excepting near the seashore, and the soil is thin 
and gravelly. In the southern part the land is better suited 
for cultivation ; in the north, in Dumfries and parts of Ayr, it is 
mountainous. Here the climate is frequently damp and cloudy 
and often cold and inclement. 

The origin of the Galloway, like that of the Aberdeen Angus, 
is quite obscure. Youatt states that about 1750 the greater 
part of the cattle of Galloway were horned, but some of them 
were polled, a feature of this breed. In 1789 George Culley 
wrote of "polled or humbled " cattle, and stated that "for the 
original of these we must look in Galloway." Culley also notes 
that graziers and drovers took them in prodigious numbers to 
the fairs in Norfolk and Suffolk, England. Possibly the breed is 
descended from polled wild cattle. Various British authorities in- 
dicate that the Galloway is essentially a Kyloc or West Highland 
breed devoid of horns, and may be a sport from this. Some author- 
ities insist that Galloways have always been a true polled breed. 

The improvement of the Galloway dates back into the eighteenth 
century. Culley states that the breeders of Galloway complain 
that the old breed has become much worn out. He then says that 
there is little doubt of its not only "being recovered, but still 
more improved, when such a leading nobleman as Lord Selkirk 
is among the breeders. Mr. Murray of Broughton and Mr. Her- 
ring of Corrough-tree have been long very eminent in the breed- 
ing of Galloway cattle. Mr. Craik, Mr. Dalyell, and several others 

225 



2 26 CAITLE 

have tried a cross from Mr. Bakcwell's bulls." This then was a 
Longhorn cross on the Galloway, but Culley says that with what 
success he has not been able to learn, though breeders were gen- 
erally against crossing this on Longhorns or any other breed. 
The Galloway was also crossed on the cattle of Westmoreland and 




Fig. 94. Worthy 3d (imp.) 21228. A great prize-winning Galloway bull in 
Scotch show.s, grand champion male of the breed at the Louisiana Pur- 
chase Exposition in 1904, and champion at numerous other leading 
American shows. Imported by C. E. Clark, St. Cloud, Minnesota. Photo- 
graph by the author 

Cumberland, England. Besides the above breeders, Youatt, about 
1835, mentions as early improvers the Gordons of Greenlaw, the 
Maxwells of Munches, and the Maitlands of Kirkcudbright ; and 
in Wigton the Earl of Galloway, the Maxwells of Mouneith, the 
McDowals of Logan, the Cathcarts of Genoch, the Hathorns of 
Castle-Wig, and the Stewarts of Phygell. It has been assumed 
that in-and-in breeding has not been practiced by Galloway 
improvers, but that the development of the breed has been 
largely due to careful selection, the breeders of Scotland generally 
uniting in this work. About 1840 dairying became ]M)i)ular in 
Galloway district, notably Ayr and Dumfries, and as the polled 



IHK (}ALLOWAY 



227 



cattle were not essentially good dairy producers, the people 
neglected them and turned to dairy stock, especially Ayrshires. 
In general Galloways suffered severely from neglect, and the 
number sensibly diminished all over the district. A few men, 
however, clung to the breed in its j^urity and worked for its 
imj^rovement, notably the Duke of Buccleuch, James Graham of 
Meikle Culloch, and the Messrs. Shennan of Balig. In 185 i a 
step forward was taken by establishing an annual Galloway bull 
sale at Lockerbie, and soon after another was established at 
Castle Douglas. In 1862 the Herdbook Society was organized, 
but it is said that active interest in the breed was not renewed 
until about 1877. 

The introduction of the Galloway to America occurred long ago, 
though just when is uncertain. Polled cattle came to this country 
in some of the early importations. L. F. Allen states that in 
1837 he saw a very fine black polled Galloway cow at the General 
Hospital in Philadelphia, but he did not ascertain how she came 
there. In 1853 Graham Brothers of Vaughan, Ontario, made the 
first importation to Canada, though L. F. Allen thinks they were 
brought to the vicinity of Toronto about 1850. In 1857 Allen 
saw upwards of forty of 
the breed at a show at 
Brantford, and later saw 
them elsewhere in Canada. 
In 1 86 1 Thomas McCrae 
of Guelph, Ontario, made 
his first importation, and 
did much to promote the 
breed, being a leader in 
the work. Galloways were 
slow of introduction into 
the United States, coming 
to Michigan in 1870 and 
spreading from there into 
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri. Even 
then the breed was very slightly known. In 1885 Mr. M. R. Piatt 
of Kansas City exhibited some Galloways at the Cotton States 
Exposition at New Orleans. 




Fig. 95. Scottish Standard (imp.) 15221, a 
Galloway bull owned by Brookside Farm, 
Ft. Wayne, Indiana ; famous as a sire. Pho- 
tograph by the author 



2 28 CATTLE 

Associations for the promotion of Galloways were first organized 
in 1862 in Scotland, although Aberdeen Angus were registered 
with the Galloways in the first four volumes of the herdbook. 
Then came a breed separation, and later, in 1877, followed the or- 
ganization of the Galloway Cattle Society, with the first Galloway 
herdbook appearing in 1878. The American Galloway Cattle 
Breeders' Association was formed at Chicago on November 23, 
1882, although ten years previous to this the Ontario Galloway 
Stock Register of Pure Bred Galloways had been established by 
the Agricultural and Arts Association of Ontario. The first 
American herdbook, known as the North American Galloivay 
Herdbook, \W3.^ published in 1883, since which, up to 1905, there 
have been published fifteen volumes, showing 27,000 registrations. 

The characteristics of the Galloway. This breed in general 
appearance is short of leg and close to the ground, is polled, black 
of color, has very thick long hair, especially in winter, and is 
somewhat longer of body and flatter of rib than the Aberdeen 
Angus. Without going into general details, certain features of 
the breed demand special consideration. The head in a good 
type should be polled and absolutely free from scurs or abortive 
horns, the poll being less peaked than in the Aberdeen Angus. 
There should be strong breadth between the eyes, with shortness 
from eyes to end of muzzle, which should be large with ample 
nostrils. The ear, Wallace, the Scotch author, states, is set rather 
farther back than in most breeds and should point upward and 
forward. A fine, broad, pointed ear covered with long hair is 
characteristic. The body of the Galloway is somewhat cylindrical 
and has considerable length. The ntmp is long and the hind 
quarter is usually well developed, especially in the lower thigh. 
In quality the breed is superior, for the bone is reasonably fine, 
the skin mellow, and the hair very fine, silky, curly, and long. 
The color is generally black, though a brownish or reddish tint 
frequently occurs in the black, and is regarded by some as an 
indication of purity. White or other color is a disqualification. 
Formerly the breed varied in color, when there were brindles, 
dun-colored, or drab, and some with white spots. About 1835 
Youatt wrote that dark colors were uniformly preferred from the 
belief that they indicate hardiness of constitution. 



THE GALLOWAY 



229 



Criticisms of the Galloway haxc long been made by Amer- 
ican stockmen, more especially for lack of spring and fullness 
of rib, slackness of back, prominence of tail head, and slow 
response to generous feeding. Some of these criticisms are 
justified, but the breed has been greatly improved over its 
form of twenty-five years ago, and is now less subject to 
unfavorable comment. 

The modern type of Galloway represents an animal that is free 
from some of the deficiencies referred to. Through the efforts 
of the more prominent breeders of Scotland and America the 




Fig. 96. Evaline 2d of Avondale 20124, grand champion Galloway female at 
the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904, and at numerous other promi- 
nent shows. Bred by O. H. Swigart, Champaign, Illinois. Photograph 
by the author 



last dozen years have seen a great improvement in the breed. 
A wider-backed, blockier, better-fleshed, easier-feeding sort has 
resulted from a more careful selection and a more discriminating 
use of bulls on superior cows. Even yet, however, the Galloway 
does not as a rule mature as early or fatten as rapidly as the 
Shorthorn, Hereford, or Aberdeen Angus, although Galloway 
cattle produce a very high-class meat, fine in grain and flavor, 
with the fat internal rather than external, and command a superior 
price on the market. 



230 



C ATT LI' 



The hardiness of the Galloway is one of its inherited character- 
istics, and it seems eminently suited to a place on the western 
range where food may be scarce and where the rigors of winter 
are great. The thick, long coat of hair gives it better protection 
from cold than is provided any other recognized beef breed in 
America. It is for this reason and for its rustling ability that the 
Galloway is attaining more and more popularity on the western 
and northwestern range. 

The hide of the Galloway, with its thick and long fall or winter 
coat, has a distinct value in itself. Properly tanned it furnishes 
a lap robe, overcoat, or floor rug, surpassing in beauty the pelt 
of the buffalo, now so highly prized. Good Galloway floor rugs or 
lap robes easily sell for twenty-five dollars, and overcoats of this 
fur have changed hands at high prices. In the northwestern United 
States and Canada coats of this fur are very common in winter. 

The Galloway as a meat producer, as has been indicated, has 
always ranked high. For many years large droves of Galloways, 
said to exceed twenty thousand a year, were driven from Scotland 
into England and fattened and sold for beef, where they met 
with much favor. Galloway cattle have never been raised in 
large numbers excepting in the (jalloway district, and so have 
not usually been important factors in the show ring, at least out- 
side of Scotland. Until recently the steers have not attracted 
attention in America, and as yet have not attained the highest 
honors of the American shows in open competition. They feed 
uniformly and smoothly, patches and rolls being uncommon. 

The cross-bred Galloway has a distinct place in the meat mar- 
ket of England, for the mating of white Shorthorn bulls on Gal- 
loway cows has produced a famous class of blue-gray feeders 
which kill out surpassingly well, often reaching 65 per cent. 
The Iowa Agricultural College has experimented some with this 
breeding, and has shown a few choice blue grays at the Inter- 
national Live Stock Exposition at Chicago. From time to time 
"prime Scots" are quoted in the English markets, and in this 
case these are often blue grays. In 1892 the champion steer 
at the Smithfield show, England, was a cross between a Gallo- 
way cow and Shorthorn bull, which at 1250 days weighed 
2276 pounds, an average daily gain of 1.82 pounds from birth. 



THE GALLOWAY 



231 



Mr. O. n. Swigart, in writing on the (julloway, reports on two 
loads of range calves exhibited by a Colorado man, the offspring 
of common grade cows, many of them Holsteins and Jerseys, 
but all sired by registered Galloway bulls. These calves won 
first and third prizes in their class, and one load won champion- 
ship in class over other breeds by ages, and grand championship 
over all breeds and all ages as feeders. They were purchased 
by an Indiana feeder and returned to market July 9, 1902. They 
had an average weight of 1177 pounds, and brought $8.45 per 








Fig. 97. Adela of Flamboro 12783, a high-class Galloway cow owned by 
Brookside Farm, Ft. Wayne, Indiana. This picture shows the summer 
coat of hair, the author having taken the photograph on July 4. Fig. 96 
shows the long, curly winter coat, with some fancy grooming 

hundred, within five cents of the highest price ever paid on this 
market for range-bred cattle of any breed, show-yard animals 
alone excepted. 

The prepotency of the Galloway is of the first rank. Within 
the breed there exists much uniformity of transmission of 
character. In crossing or grading, where Galloway sires are 
used, the offspring almost always inherits the color and features 
of the sire. James Biggar, one of the most noted recent Scotch 
breeders, states in regard to the power of transmission, that 



232 



CAT'lI.E 



" when a Galloway bull is crossed with any horned breed nearly 
90 per cent of the produce will be black and 95 to 100 per cent 
without horns." Mr. A. M. Thompson of Missouri reports using 
a Galloway bull on a herd of Shorthorn cows with very great 
success, 98 per cent of the calves being black and all natural 
polls. Galloways also cross very successfully with Herefords, 
producing beef of the finest quality. The progeny of Galloway 
bulls on other breeds, says Robert Wallace, the Scotch authority, 
"are on the average distinctly inferior." 

The Galloway as a milk producer has no special record and 
very little is said on this point by writers on the breed, excepting 




1' 10. 9S. A pair of CJalloway cows in the ring at the Royal Show, Man- 
chester, England, 1897. No. 1429 is Dora of Durhamhill (13550) 
and 1430 is Maggie Lauder of Durhaihhill (13994). The judges 
disagreed on these two for first place. Photograph by the author 



that the cows are amply able to raise their calves. In fact this 
is distinctly a beef breed, and no attempt has been made to show 
the dairy qualities of the cows. Here and there note is made of 
a milk producer, as, for example, the cow Rosy 4th of Mr. R. B. 
Carus, of Michigan, reported by him to have been an extra milker, 
making as high as 42^ pounds of milk in a day, testing 7.25 per 
cent fat by Babcock machine. The quality of the milk is regarded 
as superior. 

The size of the Galloway hardly equals that of the Shorthorn, 
Hereford, or Aberdeen i\ngus, and it may be rated as a bit smaller 
than these, at the same age. Mr. A. M. Thompson states that 



THE GALLOWAY 233 

as yearlings past they can be made to weigh from 1000 to 1200 
pounds; at two, 1200 to 1400; at three, from 1400 to 1600. 
Typical bulls will weigh about 1800 to 1900 pounds, and cows 
1 200 to 1 300 pounds. 

The distribution of the Galloway is jnainly in Scotland and 
America. The breed is found in small herds as a rule, east of the 
Mississippi, though some of the best-known herds are in Indiana 
an^" nrmoisT Galloways are found on the ranges and farms all 
over the far West, and especially in the Canadian Northwest. Im- 
portant herds are also found in Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota. 

American improvers of the Galloway of special note are Brook- 
side Farm, Indiana; O. H. Swigart and Marion Parr, Illinois; 
Wavertree Farm and N. P. Clarke, Minnesota ; C. N. Moody, 
Missouri ; E. H. White, Iowa ; and John and David McCrae, 
Canada. These firms have brought the breed most promi- 
nently before the public and have bred or imported some of 
the best specimens of Galloways to be found in Scotland. 

Galloway bulls of distinction that have materially helped to 
give fame to the breed in more recent times are Camp Follower 
(5042), Pathfinder 3d (5991), Scottish Standard (6488) 15221, 
Kekionga (2894) 2894, Druid of Castlemilk (6159) 17054, King 
Hensol 9967, Camp Follower of Stepford {7476), and Worthy 3d 
(7762) 21228. 

The prices derived for Galloways do not average high, yet, in 
view of the lack of knowledge of the breed, they make a fair 
showing. A summary of 740 animals sold at auction from 1892 
to 1 90 1 inclusive, published by the Kansas Board of Agriculture, 
shows an average of $126.75 P^'' head for both sexes, or $141.43 
for 233 bulls and $110.51 for 318 cows. 



CHAPTER XXXI 

THE SUSSEX 

The native home of Sussex cattle is in the county of Sussex, 
bordering the English Channel in south England, though they are 
also bred in the adjoining counties of Kent, Surrey, and Hamp- 
shire. The land is tenacious and clayey and more or less rolling, 
the famous Southdown hills passing through the southern part. 
The climate is mild and the grazing superior. 

The origin of Sussex cattle is associated with that of the 
Devon and Hereford, dating back several centuries. These 
cattle were formerly bred for draft purposes and were largely 
used to cultivate the soil on the farms of Sussex and Kent. 
In early days the Sussex much resembled the larger cattle of 
north Devon. 

The introduction of Sussex cattle to America first took place 
in 1884, when Mr. Overton Lea imported a considerable herd, 
which he has since maintained near Nashville, Tennessee. In 
1 89 1 several head were imported to Canada for the Agricultural 
College at Guelph, though perhaps others preceded them into 
that region. 

The characteristics of Sussex cattle. The color is a solid red, 
a moderately deep shade being preferred. The Jiorns incline to 
be large and long, curving around in front, often inclining down- 
ward slightly. The nose is of flesh color. T\\q. form is essentially 
blocky, the ribs being well sprung and long, and the body capa- 
cious. The rump is long, level, and broad, and the thighs of a 
distinctly thick, beefy sort. The skin is mellow and thick and 
is often covered with a thick coat of hair .which in winter is 
frequently curly. Compared with Devons they present more 
size and general beefiness, do not tend to the dual-purpose 
type, give less milk, have heavier horns, thicker necks, deeper 
shoulders, and are coarser appearing. 

234 



THE SUSSEX 



235 



The size of Sussex cattle is large, comparable with the Here- 
ford, which they somewhat resemble, excepting for color. Some 
Sussex have attained very heavy weights. Cows frequently 
weigh about 1400 pounds and bulls 2000 pounds. 

The beef properties of Sussex cattle are superior and may be 
fairly compared with the Shorthorn for merit. From early days 
in the last century the breed has made an excellent record in 
the fat stock show contests of England. In Feeds and Feeding 
Professor Henry gives the following record of Sussex cattle 
shown at the Smithfield show between 1888 and 1895: 



I year old 
3 " " 



Number 
Animals 



17 
18 



677 days 



1285 



Average 
Daily Gain 



2.15 lb. 
1.86 " 
I.61 " 



Live 

Weight 



1452 lb. 

1837 " 
2064 " 



Per cent 
Dres.sed 



65.42 
68.18 
67.98 



Mr. W. W. Chapman, in the Live Stock Journal Almanac 
for 1903, also publishes a table of Sussex weights and gains 
based on Smithfield Club shows. In this 13 steers, averaging 
about 681 days old, weighed an average of 1433^ pounds; 
six, with an average of 1043 days, weighed 1829 pounds; and 
ten heifers, averaging 979 days, weighed 1588^ pounds. In 
1902 the first-prize Sussex two-year-old steer at the Smith- 
field show dressed 68.02 per cent. In 1885 at the American 
Fat Stock Show a yearling Sussex steer received the class 
prize on the butcher's block and came within one vote of win- 
ning sweepstakes. Housman states that the averages for Sus- 
sex steers between three and four years old exhibited at the 
Smithfield Club Show during 1882, 1883, 1884, and 1885 
showed a general average weight of about i8i hundredweight 
(2072 pounds). 

The milk-giving qualities of Sussex cattle are such as might 
be expected with a breed tending strongly to beef production, 
being somewhat inferior. The breed in recent years has not met 
with favor in this respect. The milk, however, is superior in 
quality if not in quantity. 



236 



CATTLE 



Cross-bred and grade Sussex cattle do well for beef production, 
making good grazers well suited to the Mississippi Valley, where 
feed is abundant. Sussex sires on native or grade cows should 
result in a class of cattle that will dress a high per cent. 

The early maturing and grazing value of the Sussex is highly 
testified to by various breeders. As grazers Mr. Lea rates the 
breed as equal to the Hereford, but it is doubtful if they will 
mature as early. 

The distribution of Sussex cattle is rather limited. There are 
numerous herds in southeastern and southern Enirland. In the 




Fig. 99. General Roberts (500) a Sussex bull imported by Mr. Overton Lea, 
Nashville, Tennessee, in 1884. Won first prize in class at the Royal 
Agricultural Society of England Show. Photograph from Mr. Lea 



United States two large herds have been maintained, that of Mr. 
Lea in Tennessee and one in Maine. There are a few small 
herds in Canada, Illinois, Indiana, and in some of the trans- 
Mississippi states. Sussex have also been imported to South 



THE SUSSEX 237 

Africa, Kgypt, Antigua, and perhaps to other British colonies. 
Whether the breed will become more popular time only can tell. 
It has not }et been much tried outside of its native home, but 
it seems to have succeeded there and at the same time to have 
made a good showing- for itself in public competition. 




Fig. 100. The Sussex cow Milkmaid. Photograph from 
Mr. Overton Lea, Nashville, Tennessee 

The promotion of the Sussex breed first took place in England. 
Mr. Alfred Heasman of Little Hampton, Sussex, published the 
first three volumes of a Sussex herdbook, Vol. I commencing 
with pedigrees from 1855. In 1888 the Sussex Herdbook 
Society acquired the records. From that time up to 1905 this 
society has published twenty herdbooks. The American Sussex 
Cattle Association was organized in 1888, and Vol. I of the 
herd register is to be issued in 1906. 



CHAPTHR XXXII 

THE WEST HIGHLAND 

The native home of West Highland cattle is in the elevated 
uplands of western Scotland. This particularly applies to that 
section known as the Highlands in Argyll, Inverness, and Perth 
counties, and the Hebrides Islands off the west coast. 

The origin of the West Highland breed, which has also been 
called the "Kyloe " by some, is generally conceded to be derived 
from the aboriginal cattle of Britain, of which the present wild 
white cattle are descendants. This breed has been known for 
centuries, but has been kept on a comparatively small scale. 
During the first half of the last century two of the herds that 
improved the breed were those of Mr. Malcolm of Poltalloch in 
Argyll and the Marquis of Breadalbane of Perth. 

The introduction of the West Highland cattle to America is of 
only passing moment. In 1879 Lewis F. Allen, one of the 
best-informed cattle authorities in America in the nineteenth 
century, stated that he knew of none in the United States, but 
was of the impression that a few were imported into Upper 
Canada some years before. About 1883 some West Highlanders 
were imported, among which was the cow Maid of Castle Grant, 
which was shown at a number of fairs in 1888 and 1889 by 
Judge J. S. Goodwin of Kansas. In 1891 several West High- 
land cattle were exhibited at the American Fat Stock Show 
at Chicago. In 1902 Mr. W. M. Van Norden of Westchester 
County, New York, imported a small herd and made an exhibit 
at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904. Other cattle of 
this breed were imported by several persons in 1906. 

Characteristics of West Highland cattle. This breed is very 
picturesque and distinct in character. The color is variable, being 
yellow, red, black, brindle, and a mixture of red and black, the 
former color jiredominating. Broken colors are not liked. In one 

21S 



THE WEST HIGHLAND 



239 



herd or in the Scotch shows one may sec all these colors. The Jiair 
is very long and shaggy, often reaching six inches in length. 
The head is very hairy and is surmounted by very long, large 
horns which curve forward and upward with the points wide 
apart. The horns are white with light colors, or white with dark 
tips with dark colors. The color of the muzale varies from buff 
or flesh shade to dark, in harmony with depth of color of hair. 




Fig. ioi. Head of the Highland bull Sii Andrew (1742), champion of the 
breed at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904, and one of the few males 
of the breed in America. Owned by W. M. Van Norden, Rye, New York 

The Jitrk is short and thick with a mane on top and heavy dewlap 
below. "In form," says John Robertson of Blair Athol, "it 
possesses all the characteristics so much and so justly prized in 
the Shorthorn — the straight back, the short legs, the broad 
chest, the breadth of loin and depth of rib, and, in short, the 
'squareness' and solidity of form which always imply weight, 
whether in man or beast ; while the noble branching horns, the 
fine, full, and fearless eye, the short, broad, well-bred muzzle, the 



240 



CATTLE 



shaggy coat of richest black or red or dun or brindle color, impart a 
picturesqueness which is still further enhanced by that grace and 
deliberation of movement so distinctive of all animals reared in per- 
fect freedom." The teviperament is wild and bold, due to a con- 
dition of natural lack of restraint unknown among other breeds. 

The size of the West Highland cattle is comparatively small, 
cows perhaps averaging 900 pounds and males 1200, although 
one sees some lar^rer on the hills and at the shows in Scotland. 




l''i(.. 102. .Muia UiuuglUy, champion llighUiiJ cow at llie Louisiana Purchase 
Exposition, 1904. A very typical specimen. Exhibited by W. M. Van 
Norden, Rye, New York. Photograph by the author 



The West Highland breed as a beef producer is superlative so 
far as quality is concerned. The meat is fine of grain, the fat is 
well distributed among the lean, the flavor is unsurpassed, and 
the carcasses dress out well. In the British market beef of this 
breed ranks at the top. Yet these cattle feed very slowly and 
mature late, and seem best adapted to feeding under Scotch 
mountain environment. 

The hardiness of West Highland cattle is remarkable. Used to 
a free life on the Scotch hills, where summer and winter they 



THl': WEST HIGHLAND 



241 



graze on grass and heather, they seem capable of enduring the 
roughest climate. In a letter on this breed the Earl of Dunmore 
wrote in 1887, bearing on their suitability to the more exposed 
northwestern American range : 

My average yearly loss has not been three per cent, which in a large fold 
of some four or five hundred head of cattle is very small. January, February, 
and March are pretty hard months for them, as they get no food beyond what 
they pick up on the hills where they are wintered. I have often seen them 
scraping away the snow to get at the grass ; but notwithstanding their being 
out all winter, they produce in April and May as strong and lusty-looking 
calves as a man could wish to see, with lots of bone and tremendous thick coats. 
That, to my mind, is the coming breed for the great northwestern ranges. 




Fig. 103. A group of Highland cattle. Photograph from G. M. Rommel, 
United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 

The milking qualities of the West Highland are not important, 
for the cows are milked usually by the calves only. The milk, 
however, is considered rich in quality. 

The breeding qualities of West Highland cattle rank high, 
though the heifers are not bred the first time until three years 
of age. Earl Dunmore states that he could quote from his 
private herdbook several cases of cows, after having their first 
calves at four years, continuing to produce yearly thereafter up 
to fourteen years of age one living calf and sometimes twins, all 
of them being born on the mountain side. 

Cross-bred or grade Highland cattle are best suited to condi- 
tions where food is scarce and winters rough. Highland bulls 
on native western-range cows would furnish hardy stock, but it 
is not likely that it would meet with a favorable reception from 
buyers, compared with the present very acceptable Hereford, 



242 CATTLK 

Angus, or Galloway grades. I'hc claim is made by excellent 
Scotch authorities that West Highland cows cross well with 
bulls of most of the British beef breeds. Where food is abun- 
dant and the climate not too severe, such a cross may be advis- 
able. On the more elevated Scotch hills, however, where winter 
exposure is great, the cross-bred progeny will not do so well as 
the pure-bred. Such cross-breds could not be expected to have 
the hardiness of the pure stock. 

An organization of West Highland cattle breeders was formed 
by Earl Dunmore in 1884, and a herdbook published that year, 
some nine volumes having appeared up to 1905. 

The distribution of the West Highland breed is mainly in Scot- 
land, in the regions previously indicated, although herds are 
kept in England, where steers are also fed to a small extent. 
Although many owners of large estates maintain this breed for 
its picturesque character and easy keep, yet it is not common, 
excepting in western Scotland. In view of the fact that this is 
strictly a mountain breed, one might assume that it would do 
well on the better pastures of the Alleghany Mountains. Graz- 
ing of an excellent character is found on the mountains of '^lir- 
ginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. The winters in that 
region lack the severity of the North, thus permitting living on 
the range the entire year. 



CHAPTER XXXIII 

DAIRY TYPE OF CATTLE 

The general appearance of dairy cattle is notably different from 
that of beef stock. They have less thickness of body, less breadth 
of back, narrower thighs, slenderer neck, and a more muscular 
character generally. The males are notably narrower at the 
withers and more divided between the hind quarters, while the 
females are rather sharp over the withers and full and heavy 
behind, with udder of ample proportions. A rather long, deep- 
ribbed, muscular, not fleshy body, and shortness of leg is notable 
in the high-class male. A triple-wedge form is associated with 
the dairy cow. Viewed from one side she shows less depth of 
body in front than behind. Secondly, she gradually widens from 
the breast to the points of the hips and hind quarters. Thirdly, 
as one looks down on the back at the withers the form widens 
out like a wedge towards the middle of the body. Many superior 
dairy cows show this wedge form in a striking degree, but excep- 
tions occur, where the heavy milk production is not associated 
with an ideal dairy shape. Fleshiness with either sex is distinctly 
objectionable, unless with young animals not yet in lactation. 

The head of the dairy animal should be lean, broad of muzzle, 
large of nostril, moderately short and broad of nose, with some dish 
to the face. Prominent, clear, calm eyes, wide apart, beneath a 
broad full forehead, are essential. The cheeks should be deep and 
the lower jaw strong. The fine, medium-sized, thin, pointed ears 
must be neatly placed and be covered with fine hair on the out- 
side, with longer hair at tip and edges. If there be horns, they 
should exhibit quality, not being coarse or shelly. The top of the 
head, or poll, should be covered with a thick layer of fine long 
hair, especially in cold weather. A yellow color of the inner skin 
of ear and a yellowish waxy color to horn, especially at the base, 
are regarded as indicating that a cow will yield milk rich in fat. 

243 



244 CATTLE 

The iicck tends to be long and muscular. With the bulls it is 
especially strong and heavily muscled, usually possessing a prom- 
inent arch, while the neck of the cow is thin and long. The 
lower part of the neck usually has more or less dewlap, this being 
a thin Q(\'g<i of skin extending from the brisket upwards. A very 
deep neck with much dewlap, fullness at the throat, or a short, 
thick neck on dairy cattle are objectionable, showing lack of quality 
and type. While the neck should have a neat attachment at head 
and shoulders, it docs not blend in so smoothly as with beef 
cattle, owing to lack of flesh. 

The shoulders should incline at a good angle well into the 
back, lying fairly close together and forming with the back line 
rather refined, narrow, or sharp ivithers. With the males greater 
breadth of withers is looked for. The shoulders are usually 
somewhat prominent, but heaviness or meatiness is distinctly 
objectionable. 

The breast of dairy cattle does not show so great width as the 
beef type, and the brisket is narrower and sharper, and not carried 
quite so far forward. 

The cJiest, like the breast, which is a part of it, does not show 
great thickness, but ample depth and reasonable spring of rib is 
desired. The crops, at the top of the chest behind the shoulders, 
are usually somewhat deficient in dairy cattle. At this place the 
ribs should have a fair arch from the back, showing ample chest 
room below. The front flanks also should be well filled out, show- 
ing a good constitution in the ample, chest capacity. 

The front legs should be straight from side or front, coming 
down without marked crookedness at knee or wide turning in or 
out of toes. A common feature of dairy cattle of both sexes is 
to have the knees come quite close together when in a natural 
position, thus indicating a narrow chest and poor constitution. 

The back of the dairy type frequently shows some droop from 
shoulder to hip line. Some persons regard a sway back as neces- 
sarily associated with dairy type. A strong back, well sustained, 
with but little depression, if at all, is much to be preferred. Argu- 
ments have been advanced by some that a large backbone, with 
the vertebrae somewhat separated, offers important evidence of 
such a nervous temperament as should be associated with the 



DAIRN r\l'K OF CAT ILK 



245 



dairy tyjic. Through the backbone the spinal cord passes, con- 
necting with the brain and the entire nervous system. A large 
backbone may indicate a large spinal cord and strong nervous 
temperament, a characteristic of the dairy type. Further there 
should be a strong, level, broad loin and also fair width of back 
throughout, although not equal to that of the beef type. 

The ribs should be sufficiently long and arched to provide 
a capacious body, a feature most important with animals of this 




Fig. 104. This Guernsey cow, Count Topsey, owned by J. H. Beirne, Oakfield, 
Wisconsin, shows a remarkably high-class dairy type. As her hind quar- 
ters are nearer the camera than the fore quarters, it shows the wedge form 
in an abnormal degree. The udder from the side view appears nearly 
perfect. Photograph from Mr. Beirne 



class. Flat and short ribs go wdth poor feeders and defective 
constitutions. The body of the dairy type being moderately long 
or rangy, the ribs do not lie quite so close together, perhaps, as 
with the beef type, neither is the coupling between the last rib 
and point of hip as close as with other cattle. 

The hips tend to be somewhat prominent with both males and 
females. The hip points of the male should be neat and moder- 
ately close, not wide, while those of the female may be more 



246 CATTLE 

widespread and prominent. This allows plenty of room for the 
breeding organs of the female. 

The riiinp of the dairy type calls for ample length, breadth, 
and levelness. This offers more room for the reproductive 
operation, the peaked, droopy rump frequently causing trouble 
in calving, due to lack of room for the easy exit of the calf. The 
backbone should be prominent along the middle of the rump, in 
keeping with the rest of the back. The backbone from the hips 
to the tail head over the pelvis, on account of its prominence, 
shows a rise which is often termed the "pelvic arch." A fat 
rump is objectionable, a feature found usually in inferior milkers 
and animals of the beefy type. 

The tJiigJis of dairy cattle should be muscular rather than fat. 
A heavy, thick type of hind quarter is not desirable. The thigh 
.should be long, should have a rather thin back edge, and should 
curve on the inside so as to permit ample room between the 
hind legs. A thick thigh and deep twist is unfavorable to large 
udder development. 

The hocks, to secure the necessary room ft)r the udder, must 
be muscular, clean, and thin, and -should point directly back, 
with ample space between. 

The legs from hock down should stand square, as viewed 
from side or rear, the toes pointing directly forward or nearly so. 
If the toes turn out, the animal hocks in and has a faulty confor- 
mation. Rarely the toes turn in and the hocks bend outward, giv- 
ing a weak and poor position to the legs. The shank bones should 
be smooth and .short, showing refinement of bone and quality. 

The tail is important, mainly as a medium for protection from 
flies. Consequently length and a heavy brush of hair are essen- 
tial. The fleshy part should extend to the point of the hock, and 
the brush clear the level of the feet by two or three inches. 
The root of the tail, or tail head, should carry on a line with the 
back, showing no coarseness or special prominence, fitting neatly 
to the end of the body. The tail as a whole is an indicator of 
quality, and should be refined rather than large and coarse. 

The udder of the dairy cow is a most important part. In form 
it should be moderately thick, filling up well between the thighs, 
should extend by graceful curve high up behind, and should be 



DAIRY TYPE OF CATTLE 247 

extended well along the belly. The bottom of the udder in its 
best form has four teats some three or four inches long, hanging 
on the same level and placed far enough apart to be comfortably 
grasped in the hands. When the milk is removed from the udder 
that organ should be soft and pliable, showing much shrinkage. 
The hind part, located between wide-spreading thighs, should 
show much elasticity, with folds of skin apparent in the empty 
udder, especially with mature cows. Over the entire udder a 
mellow, soft skin and fine coat of hair should be found. Com- 
mon defects of the udder are small, poor fronts, with the teats 
on this part elevated much above or close to the hind ones ; 
small teats, especially with some breeds ; meaty udders, which 
reduce but little with milking and yield a comparatively small 
flow, and last, but not least, small udders entirely lacking in profit- 
producing capacity. Large cows should have larger udders than 
small cows, but an animal of from 900 to 1000 pounds weight, 
at six years old, should have an udder of comparatively large size 
in full flow of milk, such as will yield at least 40 pounds a day. 
However, this standard does not apply to the larger, heavier 
milking breeds, which should do even better than this. 

The milk veins which convey blood through the udder are 
usually regarded as indications of a cow's general capacity to 
produce milk. Young heifers have small veins, and with matu- 
rity they increase in prominence. On old cows they may be very 
tortuous, extending from the udder forward with numerous turns 
along the belly until they enter the wall of the belly through 
holes known as "milk wells." These latter should show com- 
paratively large size on the application of the end of the finger 
at the orifice. Many cows have three milk veins, two long ones 
on the outer part of the belly and a short one between. In rare 
cases the veins branch into numerous small ones along the belly 
just in front of the udder. Small veins also occur on the udders 
of some cows. The length of vein varies, usually extending about 
halfway to the fore legs, although cases occur of their extend- 
ing to the leg itself, disappearing behind the arm. The size of 
the vein varies much, the larger ones having a diameter of about 
three fourths of an inch. Small veins are found on the belly 
of the males, while miniature teats, known as "rudimentaries," 



248 CATfLE 

are found along in front of and on each side of the scrotum, or 
purse, two usually occurring a short distance apart on a side. 
The length and size of rudimentaries varies greatly, ranging from 
small buttons to teats an inch long. We have no definite knowl- 
edge regarding the significance of these, some persons thinking 
that the larger they are the better the evidence that the male 
will transmit large milkers. Others have speculated that the 
position of the rudimentaries indicated the placing of the teats 
and form of fore udder on the offspring of the sire. 

The escutcheon, also known as the " milk mirror," is found along 
the back of the thighs or between them, and has attracted special 
attention on dairy cattle only. This is shown by a line of hair 
turning to one side or upward, in contrast to the usual downward 
position of the hair. This line of reversed hair was investigated 
by a Frenchman named Guenon, who argued that the escutcheon 
indicated the capacity of a cow to produce milk. In view of the 
fact that the extent and position of the reversed hair varies along- 
side or above the udder, Guenon classified its occurrence, giving 
different names according to the prominence and character 
shown. Modern dairy-cattle authorities attach no special signifi- 
cance to the escutcheon, Guenon's theories not having been 
borne out in fact. 

The quality of the dairy type is shown in the character of skin 
and hair, size of horn, ear, and bone, and general proportions. 
Under the ordinary conditions of keep for cattle of this class the 
skin should be very mellow and pliable, thinner than with beef 
cattle, with a shorter length of hair. No class of cattle show 
quality so clearly as do some of the dairy type, as indicated 
by handling, there being a rich, mellow, oily feel commonly asso- 
ciated with the skin of high-class animals. The skin also will 
often show a yellow oily secretion, conspicuous at the ears, 
between the thighs, and about the udder and scrotum. 



CHAPTER XXXIV 

THE JERSEY 



The native home of the Jersey is on the island of that name in 
the EngUsh Channel, about fourteen miles from the coast of 
France. This is one of the group known as the Channel Islands ; 
they belong to Great Britain, and comprise mainly Jersey, the 
largest, Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark, Jersey is about eleven 
miles long and four wide and contains 28,717 acres. The north 
shore of the island is precipitous, the land gently sloping south- 
ward. The principal crops 
are potatoes and other 
vegetables, fruits and 
flowers, Jersey cattle and 
their products. The cli- 
mate is most balmy, out-of- 
door life being pleasant all 
the year. So healthful are 
the conditions that tuber- 
culosis among the cattle 
is almost unknown. The 
soil is very rich and most 
productive. The island 
has a population of about 
60,000. There are twehe 
parishes, and the farms are 
small, ranging from five to twenty acres each. Notwithstanding 
its small size there are about 40,000 cattle kept on Jersey, accord- 
ing to late reports, and the herds are well maintained. 

The origin of the Jersey is unknown. The most probable the- 
ory is that it is descended from stock on the neighboring section 
of France, notably Brittany and Normandy. While the cattle 

249 




Fig. 105. Pedro 3187 at 18 years of age. Grand 
champion Jersey male at the World's Colum- 
bian Exposition, 1893, and one of the most 
noted of American-bred Jersey bulls, long at 
the head of the herd of Mr. T. S. Cooper, 
Coopersburg, Pennsylvania. Photograph 
from Mr. Cooper 



250 



CATTLE 



of those regions to-day do not closely resemble the Jersey, they 
have some things in common. The fawn or white color has been 
attributed to certain cattle of Normandy, while the blacker color 
has been ascribed to the Brittany cattle, it being assumed that 
the Jersey has resulted from the fusing of these French types. 
Historically the first description regarding the Jersey that the 
author has secured, showing its resemblance to the breed of 
to-day, was by Culley in 1789, who comments on the introduc- 
tion into England of French or Alderney cattle, to ornament the 
grounds of the nobility and gentry and to provide rich milk. The 
term "Alderney " thus used applied to any of the Channel Island 
cattle, and the use of this word in America for many years was 
no doubt due to the English inheritance. 

The protection of the purity of cattle on Jersey dates back into 
early colonial times. The value of preserving the character of 
the breed was recognized as early as 1 763, when laws were passed 
by the legislature of Jersey prohibiting the importing of cattle 
from France to the island. In 1789 an act was passed making 
it a severe crime, heavily punishable, to bring any cattle to 
Jersey from France, excepting for immediate slaughter. Gradu- 
ally other restrictions were added to prevent cattle coming to 
Jersey from any other country, excepting for slaughter within 
twenty-four hours. 

The improvement of the old Jersey type really began in a 
general movement on the part of the islanders. In 1833 the 
Royal Jersey Agricultural Society was organized, with the view 
among other things of improving the cattle. In 1834 the society 
originated a score card for Jerseys, amounting to twenty-five points 
for the bull and twenty-seven for the cow. This card was used 
at the first show of cattle on the island, which also was held in 
1834. Comments by the judges were that the cattle were poor 
of shape, had bad udders, some females had short, bull necks, 
were heavy in shoulder, etc. The application of the score card, 
which was revised in 1838, 1849, 185 i, and 1858, was enforced, 
and the cattle of the island gradually and rapidly improved. This 
work was due to the joint efforts of the members of the agricul- 
tural society, though Colonel Ee Couteur was a leader in this 
movement on the island. The practice of selection was followed 



THE JERSEY 



251 



with much care, and the breeders constantly sacrificed to the 
butcher animals of inferior quality and value. 

The improvement of the Jersey in England had some bearing 
on the general development of the breed. Many herds had been 
formed in England, that of Lord Braybrooke in Essex county, dat- 
ing back to 181 1, being still in existence in 1880 when the first 
volume of the English herdbook appeared. About 182 1 Philip 
Dauncey of Horwood, Buckingham county, purchased his first 




Fig. 106. King uf Si. Lambcii'.s King 3073-, long the leading sire in the herd 
of F. M. Hart, Cleveland, Ohio. Among American-bred Jerseys this is 
a notable sire, having up to 1906 some forty-five daughters, each with a 
reported test of fourteen or more pounds of butter in seven days. Photo- 
graph by the author. The camera being somewhat nearer the head than 
hind quarters shows the front slightly out of proportion to the hind part 

Jersey, and later became England's most celebrated breeder. He 
developed a remarkable herd and it is stated that he eventually 
maintained a dairy of 50 Jersey cows which netted him an annual 
profit of $100 each from sales of butter. His cows produced 
large yields of butter and greatly advertised the merits of the 
breed. The herd was dispersed in 1867 when 90 head averaged 
something over $200 each. Cattle from this herd were sold 
to go to different parts of England, Germany, Australia, and 



252 



CATTLE 



Tasmania. I^auncey bred with three objects in view : first, a large 
average butter record ; second, constitution ; third, uniform color, 
free from white. In 1826 he bought the bull Pope 652 on the 
island, which greatly improved his herd. Dauncey bred the bull 
Rioter 746 E, whose grandson Stoke Pogis 1269 became pro- 
genitor in America of the St. Lambert family. 

The importation of Jerseys to America dates back well into the 
nineteenth century. As far back as 1818 Reuben Haines of 
Germantown, Penn.sylvania, imported a pair of cattle from the 
island of Alderney, but no definite importation from the island 
of Jersey seems recorded prior to 1850, when Messrs. Taintor, 
Buck, Norton, and other gentlemen near Hartford, Connecticut, 
brought over in the .ship Splendid the first from the island to be 
registered in the American herdbook. The bull Splendcns 16 is 
probably the first registered Island-bred bull brought to this coun- 
try. In 1 85 I and 1855 other importations were taken to Connecti- 
cut, including some animals that later became famous, notably the 
bulls Splendid 2, St. Helier45, Rob Roy 17, and Pierrot 636 ; and 
the cows Dot 7, Pansy 8, Jessie 28, and the Ives cow. In 185 i 
Thomas Motley imported for the Massachusetts Society for Pro- 
moting Agriculture, bringing over among other cows Flora 1 1 3 and 
Countess 114. From 1850 importations became frequent. The 
dates of the introduction of the Jersey into some other localities 
are as follows: Maryland, 1851 ; New York and Pennsylvania, 
1855 ; Ohio, 1865 ; Canada, 1868. Many importations have been 
made in the last half century, yet none of these have been so 
extensive or important as the annual importations of Mr. T. S. 
Cooper of Pennsylvania, beginning in 1900. In recent years 
F. S. Peer of New York has also brought over many valuable 
cattle from the island of Jersey. 

Characteristics of the Jersey. The color is generally termed 
fawnlike, but is quite variable in its shade, being yellowish, red- 
dish, grayish, brownish, or silvery fawn. Some are described as 
orange or lemon fawn, and others as squirrel gray or mulberry 
black. White as a whole does not occur, but w^hite marks are 
quite common, although solid fawn color over the entire body is 
generally preferred. Brindle is a rare color and is objected to, 
but does occur. The hair about the muzzle and eyes is usually 



'IP IK Il'.RSF.Y 



253 



of a lig-ht creamy or grayish shade. In registering Jerseys it is 
necessary to specify whether the tongue is white or black, or the 
switch white or black, these being identification marks. Where 
color is made a point of importance in the breeding of a herd, a 
dark fawn, shading to light along the backbone and the lower 
limbs, meets with much favor, though solid colors of light fawn 
also are very popular. The most experienced and able breeders do 
not place primary emphasis on color, always making it secondary 




Fig. 107. Eminent 69631, imported by T. S. Cooper & Sons from the island 
of Jersey. Sold at the Cooper auction in 1905 for $10,000, to George E. 
Peer of New York, who soon after sold Iiim to A. M. Bowman of Vir- 
ginia for the reported price of $12,000. This bull is noted as a sire and 
show animal. Photograph from Mr. Cooper 

to the more important features, color being a fancy point and 
of no intrinsic value. In confoi'viation the Jersey is lean and 
muscular, the general outline representing the dairy type. The 
head is lean, should be fairly short, broad between the eyes and 
muzzle, with some dish of face, and with deep, strong lower jaw. 
The Jionis vary in style, but those of the bull should be short 
and strong, curving around forward and upward and slightly 
inward, while those of the cow should be smaller and perhaps 
longer, with more curve. A white or amber-colored horn with 



254 



CA'I ri,K 



blackish tip is the most approved sort. The more yellow the 
horn the greater the indication, some think, of rich milk produc- 
tion. The skin secretions are usually quite yellow, and, as seen 
in the ear, at tip of tail, and about the udder, indicate something 
of the richness of the milk. The skiti itself with the Jersey 
should be thin, very elastic, and mellow, with a fine thick coat of 
hair. The chest should be deep and of moderate thickness. Too 
many cattle of this breed are thin-chested and lack spring of front 




Fig. io8. Men)- .Maiden's jd Son 60516. Sircil by Brown Bessie's Son 34550 
and out of Merry Maiden 64949. Grand champion Jersey male at the 
Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904. Bred by Hood Farm, Lowell, 
Massachusetts, and owned by H. C. Taylor, O.xfordville, Wisconsin. 
Photograph by the author 



rib, a common criticism. The back should be strong and well 
supported with little if any droop, the ribs well sprung and long, 
the whole body showing large comparative size and digestive 
capacity. The hips should be fairly broad in the cow, but not 
in the bull, the rump long, broad, and level, the thighs thin and 
muscular and set wide apart, the hocks and hind feet carried 
straight and with ample room to allow a large udder between. 
The Jersey udder is usually very mellow and milks out well, but 
is frequently criticised for its small size as well as small teats. 



THE lERSEY 



255 



There are many l^cautiful luUlcrs of i;reat capacity in this breed, 
but the abbreviated, elevated fore udder is far too common in 
many herds. The milk veins no doubt attain as great relati\'e size 
and prominence with this breed as any, often being very tortuous 
or \vin(Hng in form, large, long, and passing into large wells. 

The size of the Jersey may be classed as small to medium. 
Cows in herds range from 650 pounds upward, 850 probably 
being a fair average. The cow Nabritza 5820 even attained a 
weight of 1650 pounds. From correspondence with a score of 
the leading American breeders the author has secured many 
weights of individual 
males and females. The 
average weight of 18 ma- 
ture cows in the herd of 
F. H. Scribner of Wis- 
consin was 1006 pounds, 
ranging from 900 to 1 1 2 5 . 
Of 105 cows in eight herds 
but one weighed under 
700 pounds, 1 1 weighed 
between 700 and 799, 35 
between 800 and 899, 34 
from 900 to 999, and 19 
from 1000 pounds up. 
lughteen bulls, heads of herds, ranged in weight from 1040 to 
1790 pounds, the average being 14 15 pounds. In general, a 
weight of 1300 pounds is desirable in the mature Jersey male. 
As a rule those of the St. Lambert family represent a larger type 
than those of other families. The average weight of 24 Jersey 
cows at the Columbian Exposition in 1893 was 922 ;\ pounds. 

The Jersey as a milk-fat producer is justly famous. An impor- 
tant feature in connectif)n with Jersey milk is that the fat globules 
are comparatively large and the cream rises or separates easily. 
The value of Jersey milk for producing superior butter was 
recognized over a century ago in England, and first attracted 
Dauncey to the breed. Many fine records have been made in 
England and on the island of Jersey, but America has led in the 
testing of this breed. In 1853 the first Jersey butter test was 




Fig. 109. \ Liituie s J.aci 5-300, a beautiful and 
noted Jersey bull of the 1S98 and 1899 fairs. 
Bred and shown by J. E. Robbins of Indiana. 
Photograph by the author 



2^6 



CATILE 



made in this country, Thomas Motley of Massachusetts testing 
the cow Flora 1 13, when, as a three-year-old, 14 pounds 8 ounces 
of butter was made in seven days from her milk. The same year 
the cow Rose 240 yielded 17 pounds in seven days. From this 
time thousands of seven-day tests have been made of Jersey 
cows, showing records ranging from 14 pounds of churned, 
salted, and worked butter up to that of Princess 2d 8046, 
reported to have made an official test of 46 pounds I2i^ ounces 
in one week in 1885. The testing of Jerseys for butter production 
became so extensive that Major Campbell Brown of Tennessee 
and others collated and published two volumes of such tests, and 
later in 1890 the American Jersey Cattle Club took up this work 
officially. Several thousand records have been published by the 
club in book form. Many of these records were so high as to cause 
suspicion of the integrity of the testing, which finally resulted in 
the club providing for butter-fat tests as well as churn tests, to be 
supervised by experiment station or agricultural college officials. 
The following are some of the noteworthy private records : 



Notable Private Jersey Butter Records 



Name of Cow 



(Oxford Kate 13646 

Mary Anne of St. Lambert 9770 . 

Little Goldie 36671 

Oonan of Riverside 69773 

Exile's Belle 40524 

Ethleel 2d 32291 

Massey Polo 67010 

Ida of St. Lambert 24990 . . . 
Signal's Lily Flagg 31035 . . . 

Bisson's Belle 31 144 

Eurotissima 29668 

Landseer'.s Fancy 2S76 . . . . 
Mary Anne of St. Laml)ert 9770 . 
Eurotas 2454 



Recoru 



39 lb. 12 oz. 
36 " 12 



34 
34 



30 

30 

1047 

1028 

945 

93^' 

867 

778 



12^ 

3 

7 
15 

61 

2I 

A 
i 

IS 

9 

'4] 



Duration 



7 days 

7 " 

7 " 

7 " 

7 " 

7 " 

7 " 

7 " 

36s " 

3(>5 " 

36s " 

365 " 

36s " 

.365 " 



Year of 
Test 



1885 
1884 
1892 

1895 

1891 

1885 

1894 

1884 

1891-1892 

1 888-1 889 

1 886- I 887 

1 885-1886 

I 883- I 884 

1S79-1880 



Since 1893, when the Jersey breed took official part in the 
dairy-breed competition at the World's Columbian Exposition, 



Till': JKRSEY 257 

when disinterested persons supervised the tests, such large 
private tests have not been reported. Unquestionably many 
Jersey cows will yield from 14 to 17 pounds of butter in a 
week, while a few may pass 20 pounds. The best record made 
in a week at the Columbian was by the cow Brown Bessie 
74997, of 20.163 pounds; in 30 consecutive days her yield 
was 77.319 pounds. In the Columbian Exposition tests the 




Fig. 1 10. Mary Anne of St. Lambert 9770, classed as one of the most beautiful 
Jersey cows of her time. The property of Valancey E. Fuller, then of 
Canada, she had a private record of 867 pounds 14I ounces butter in 365 
days. Photograph by Schreiber 

Jerseys excelled both Guernsey and Shorthorn in butter-fat pro- 
duction. In the Pan-American Exposition in 1901 the Jerseys 
stood second among ten breeds in profitable fat production, the 
Guernseys leading. In the Louisiana Purchase Exposition the 
Jerseys surpassed the Holstein-Friesian and Brown Swiss in 
butter and cost of production, the average cost per pound being 
loh cents for the Jersey, 13^ for the Holstein, and 14I for the 
Brown Swiss. In 90 days in this test the Jersey cow Loretta 
D. 141708 produced 280.16 pounds butter fat at a net profit of 



258 



CATTLE 



$50.52. A fair grade of Jersey milk will contain at least 4.5 per 
cent fat and commonly averai^es more. 

The Jersey as a producer of quantity of milk, as a rule does not 
stand high. However, many records show the ability of cows of 
the breed to produce large quantities. It is not unusual for a 
Jersey to produce 5000 pounds of milk a year. In the 90-day 
test at the Columbian Exposition the 25 Jersey cows in the 
trial, including sick ones, averaged 33 pounds of milk daily, 
while in the Louisiana Purchase Exposition test the same number 
of cows for the same period of time averaged 41!- pounds milk 
per day. The latter is really a remarkable showing. 

Some notable milk records of Jerseys have been published, 
amone: which are the following : 



Notable PKiv.vrE Jersey Milk Records 



Name of Cow 



Gertie of Glyiillyn 74474 . . 
La Petite Mere 2ci 12810 . . 
Matilda 4th 12816 .... 

Oneida 42100 

Kathletta's Fancy 60738 . . 
Miss Helen Brice 88340 . . 
Signal's Lily Flagg 31035 . . 
Merry Maiden 64949 . . . 
Adelaide of St. Lambert 73652 
Adelaide of St. Lambert 73652 



Yield of Milk 



16,780 
[6,699 
[6,153 

12,734 
ii,7<S4 
10,979 

'o,954 

10,487 

2,005 

75 



lb. 3 

" 8 

" 12 

" 1 1 



" 1 2 

" 4 
" 12 



year 



days 
day 



Year 
Produced 



I 898- I 899 
I 885- I 886 
I 885- I 886 
I 896- I 897 
1895-1896 

1891-1892 



. Jersey milk for cheese making ranks very high. The demonstra- 
tion at the World's Columbian Exposition made clear that milk 
rich in butter fat made more valuable and better cheese than 
milk inferior in butter fat. In the Exposition cheese test the 
following records were secured in a 15 days' test : 





Cheese 


V A LUE 

$193.98 
135-22 

140.14 


Cost 


Value 
Pound 


Amount Milk 

PER Pound 

Cheese 


Jersey .... 
Guernsey . . . 
Shorthorn . . . 


1451.76 lb. 
1130.62 " 
1077.60 " 


;898.i4 

76.25 
99-36 


$0.13,1 
.12 
- ' 3 


9.16 lb. 

9.67 " 

11.31 " 



THE JERSEY 259 

This record clearly shows that Jersey milk holds a high place in 
cheese production. This breed, however, finds its most important 
use in butter making or in the retail milk trade, and comparatively 
little of this milk is made into cheese. 

The Jersey in crossing or grading may be used to great advan- 
tage, at least in the latter way. There are many high-grade 
Jersey herds in the country that are very profitable producers of 
butter and milk. If bulls of proper breeding and individual merit 
are used on native cows, very superior dairy herds should result. 




Fig. III. Silver Sheen 26210, a noted prize-winning Jersey cow of 1893 ^"■'^ 
1894, shown by the late A. T. Dempsey, Columbus, Ohio. Silver Sheen 
was the dam of Silverine Coomassie 55600, prominent as a sire and 
show bull in the herd of J. E. Robbins of Indiana. Photograph from 
Colonel Dempsey 

The Jersey as a beef producer is not worthy of serious con- 
sideration. The meat is rich in quality and fine of grain, but is 
too yellow in fat coloring to suit butchers. Jersey steers will 
lay on flesh fairly well, but do not dress out well in slaughtering, 
having more offal and internal fat than the distinctive beef 
breeds. In a breed-feeding experiment for beef at the Michigan 
Agricultural College the Jersey steer Roscoe at 1161 days 
weighed 1490 pounds, showing a daily gain of 1.28 pound and 



26o 



CATTLE 



dressed out 59.4 per cent, compared with a Shorthorn which 
dressed out 66.8 per cent. Of six breeds tested the Jersey made 
the poorest showing. Three Jersey steers fed by two experiment 
stations reported on by Henry in Feeds and Feeding, showed 
an average daily gain for 1058 days of 1.36 pound per day, rank- 
ing ninth among eleven breeds in daily gain, but standing last in 
per cent of dressed weight. In a steer-feeding experiment con- 
ducted by the Iowa station with nine breeds, the valuation placed 




Fig. 112. Figgis 76106. This remarkable Jersey cow, at 13 vtars of age, won 
the grand championship of the breed at the Louisiana Purchase E.xposi- 
tion, 1904, in very strong competition; shown by Hood Farm, Lowell, 
Mass. Figgis has a day's record of 50 pounds 7 ounces of milk, and 
of 19 pounds 15 ounces butter in seven days. Photograph by the author 

on the Jersey carcass by Chicago experts was $4.50 a hundred, 
the lowest of the nine, compared with $6.62^ for the Hereford. 
Jersey families of distinction in America date back now almost 
fifty years. Among these families the following ten may be 
regarded as leading ones. Sigjial, descended from Pansy 8 ; 
Coomassic, descended from Coomassic 1 1 874 ; Eurotas, descended 
from Eurotas 2454 ; Tormentor, descended from Angela F. 1607 
J.H.B.; St. Lambejt, descended from Stoke Pogis 1259 out of 



THi<: ii-;rsey 



261 



Essay ; Golden Lad, descended from Sultana, P. 7. H.C. ; Com- 
bination^ descended from Lady Mel 429 ; Fontaine, descended 
from Fontaine, F. 2058 C. ; Oxford, descended from Oxford 
Daisy, F. 6816 H.C; and Landseer, descended from Land- 
seer's Fancy 2876. There are also others of equal note. 

Jersey bulls siring tested daughters number a long list. Among 
those who have been the most prolific sires may be mentioned 
the following ten: Exile of St. Lambert 13657, St. Lambert 
Boy 17408, King of St. Lambert's King 30752, Ida's Rioter 
of St. Lambert 13656, King of St. Lambert 15 175, Pedro 3187, 
Diploma 162 19, Tormentor 3533 (imp.), Fancy's Harry 9777, 
and Stoke Pogis 3d 2238. Each of these bulls is reported to 




Fig. 113. E.vile".'; Sappho 1 14262, on the left, butter test 25 pounds 6 ounces in 
seven days, and Exile's Pomona 1 1 1 106 on the right, butter test 1 7 pounds 
in seven days. These two cows, owned by F. M. Hart, Cleveland, Ohio, 
were sired by Exile of St. Lambert 13657. Photograph by the author 

have sired over 25 daughters that have made 14 or more pounds 
of butter in seven days. Exile of St. Lambert being credited 
with over 90. 

Prices for Jersey cattle range from such as might be expected 
for common stock of any breed to those of very high character. 
Mr. T. S. Cooper of Pennsylvania paid $10,000 for Pedro 3187 
at private sale. Eminent 69631 was sold at the auction sale of 
T. S. Cooper & Sons, May 30, 1905, for $10,000 to G. E. 
Peer of New York, and soon after changed hands at private sale 
at an advance over this, going to A. M. Bowman of Virginia. 
In 1902, at the Cooper sale, Champion Flying Fox 61 441 was 
purchased by T. W. Lawson of Massachusetts for $7500. The 



262 CATTLE 

cow Imported Blue Belle 180234, in May, 1904, sold at the 
Cooper sale at fourteen years of age at $3600 to Gedney Farm. 
At the 1905 sale of Cooper & Sons 103 head of imported 
Jerseys brought $63,120, an average of $621.55 each, the 
highest record in a score of years. These represent the highest 
Jersey prices, though many range above $1000. 

Early maturity of the Jersey is more marked than with any 
other common breed of cattle. Repeated cases are on record of 
Jersey females, through accident, having the first calf before 
365 days old. Both males and females develop rapidly and are 
often in service too early for the good of the herd or breed. 
Occasionally one will find a herd of Jerseys, where the owner 
has bred the heifers to come fresh at eighteen to twenty months 
old. In these herds one is impressed by the small size and 
runty appearance of the cows. The wiser and more thoughtful 
breeders of today plan to have their heifers come fresh about 
thirty months old, depending somewhat upon the vigor and size 
of the animals to be bred. A greater vitality and i)roducing 
capacity is thus secured. 

The ability of Jerseys to reproduce ranks high, as is the case 
with all dairy breeds. Many males have lived to a ripe old age 
and been in constant herd service. The bull Pedro was in active 
service until nearly twenty years old, St. Lambert Boy was used 
until he was fourteen, and King of St. Lambert's King at fifteen 
is yet in active service, while numerous other similar instances 
could be cited. There are also many vigorous old cows of the 
breed, and these may be frequently seen in Jersey herds. Fig- 
gis, the champion cow at the Louisiana Purchase P^xposition, 
was thirteen years of age, and Marjoram 2d, at si.xteen years of 
age, was sixth in the aged cow class at the World's Columbian 
Fxposition. Merry Maiden, Brown Bessie, and Miss Helen 
Brice, all famous cows, lived long, useful lives. Many Jersey 
cows are in their greatest usefulness at ten to twelve years old. 

The distribution of the Jersey is world-wide. Prominent herds 
are found in various parts of England, P'rance, Canada, all over 
the United States, in Australia, and elsewhere. JThe breed seems 
adaptable to a wide range of conditions, and famous herds have 
been developed in Canada and the New England states, where 



THE JERSEY 263 

the winters are severe, in the milder Mississippi Valley, and in 
the warm south and southwest. The Jersey is the most popular 
and common of the dairy breeds in America. 

Organizations for promoting Jersey cattle have long existed in 
America and on Jersey Island. The Royal Jersey Agricultural 
Society, founded in 1833, assumed supervision of the breed on 
the island, and in 1866 published the first island herdbook, since 
which fifteen volumes have been issued to 1905. The American 
Jersey Herdbook, published under the direction of the Associa- 
tion of Breeders of Thoroughbred Neat Stock, with headquarters 
in Massachusetts, was the first organization to promote Jersey 
interests in America, and published six herdbooks, the last ap- 
pearing in 1878. The English Jersey Cattle Society was organ- 
ized in the seventies, and up to 1905 had published sixteen 
volumes. The Maine State Pure Blood Jersey Cattle Associa- 
tion, chartered in 1875, published its first herdbook in 1876 and 
Vol. VIII in 1898. The American Jersey Cattle Club was organ- 
ized in 1868, and in 187 1 published its first volume, since which 
time, up to January, 1906, some sixty volumes have been issued, 
registering nearly 200,000 head. In 1903 the New Zealand Jersey. 
Cattle Breeders' Association published their first herdbook. 



CHAPTER XXXV 

THE HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN 

The native home of Holstein-Friesian cattle is Holland. While 
the breed as we know it in America seems abundant all over 
Holland, it is most common in north Holland in the provinces 
of Friesland and Drenthe. There are several recognized breeds 
of Dutch cattle, but the large black and white one is the leading 
dairy breed, and meets with favor in northwestern Germany and 
Belgium, where it is extensively kept. Holland is a country 
mainly reclaimed from the sea, and much of the land lies below 
sea level, the water being held back by dikes. The soil is very 
fertile in some places and very poor in others. Much of the land 
is in meadows, separated into farms and pastures by canals. 
The climate is cold in winter, but the nearness to the sea breaks 
its intensity and furnishes satisfactory conditions for cattle the 
year round. 

The origin of Holstein-Friesian cattle is obscure. It has been 
claimed that for over a thousand years the people of Holland 
have kept them and have been famous for the production 
of milk, butter, and cheese. It has been assumed that these 
cattle are descended from the prehistoric Giant Ox {Bos prinii- 
gcniis). Early writings refer to Dutch cattle as being large, 
more or less white in color, and great milk producers. Undoubt- 
edly the present type of black and white dairy cattle of Holland 
has long existed there. 

The origin of the name Holstein-Friesian becomes pertinent at 
this point. A quarter of a century ago cattle were brought to 
this country under the names of Holstein and Dutch Friesian, 
being sold as different breeds and championed by different breed- 
ing associations. The name Holstein has no application in Hol- 
land, but refers to a small province in Germany, between the 
Baltic and North seas, about a hundred miles east of the Holland 

264 



THE HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN 265 

boundary, where black and white Dutch cattle are found. The 
word Friesian is derived from Friesland province, Holland, and 
this is the name the breed should go by in America, as it does 
in Holland, for no such breed name as Holstein-F"riesian is used 
in the latter country. In view of the fact that all the cattle 
imported to America from Holland are essentially the same, the 
breeders and importers finally came together and united their 
interests and agreed to call the breed Holstein-Friesian. If the 
word Holstein could by agreement be discarded, it would give a 
more api)ropriate and simpler name. 

The introduction of the Holstein-Friesian to America is unques- 
tionably associated with the early Dutch settlers of New York. 




Fig. 114. A view on the meadows of Holland near Kotttrdam 
Photograph by the author 

Black or black and white cattle for two centuries have been owned 
in New England and the east, where they have been known as 
Dutch cattle. Late in the seventeenth century, when the Mohawk 
\'alley of New York was settled by the Dutch, they probably 
brought cattle with them from Holland. In 1795 the Holland 
Land Company sent two bulls and six cows to John Lincklaen 
of Cazenovia, New York, who was an agent in charge of lands of 
the company there. Descriptions would indicate these to be much 
of the type of to-day. In 18 10 a bull and two cows were imported 
by Consul William Jarvis and taken to his farm at Weathersfield, 
Vermont. About 1825 Herman Le Roy made an importation, part 
being taken to the Genesee Valley, New York, and the rest kept 



266 



CATTLE 



near New York City. A later importation was made to Delaware. 
Honorable W. W. Chenery of Belmont, Massachusetts, imported 
one cow in 185 i, and in 1857 and 1859 two more, which were 
destroyed by the government, owing to pleuro-pneumonia ; but 




Fig. 115. Sarcastic Lad 23971, grand-champion Holstein-Friesian bull at the 
Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904, and sire of a number of daughters 
in the Holstein-Friesian advanced registry. Owned by Illinois University. 
Photograph by the author 

in 1 86 1 he made another importation which became a perma- 
nent herd. In 1867 Gcrrit S. Miller of Peterboro, New York, 
secured cattle from Holland. Beginning with the early seven- 
ties, cattle were imported in considerable numbers from Holland 
until near the close of the nineteenth century, when the trade 
materially declined. 

The characteristics of the Holstein-Friesian are distinct and 
peculiar to the breed. In general appcaratice 2in\m2i\s of the breed 
arc large, often have great udders and milk veins, are black and 
white in color, and show remarkable milk-producing capacity. 
The head is usually lean, tends to be somewhat long with straight 
nose and dark mottled or flesh-colored muzzle, is wide between 
the eyes, and carries a white horn usually black tipped. The 



THE HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN 



267 



horns should be short, gradually taper, and curve out, forward 
and inward and slightly upward. A coarse horn is not common. 
The neck of the male is usually rather large with a distinct arch, 
while that of the female is moderately slender. The sJioiilder is 
frequently heavy and prominent, laying back in well, with withers 
of moderate thickness, being neither fine nor thick. The body 
is large with long, well-sprung ribs, showing great feeding capa- 
city. The hips2iXQ often prominent, the rump long and level, the 
tJiigJis inclined to be somewhat thick with more quarter than 
obtains with other dairy breeds. The udder is frequently very 
large, and with maturity shows a pendant form after the shape 
of a letter U, with the teats placed at the corners on the same. 
With this form the fore udder lacks extension. The milk veins 




Fig. 116. Sir Soldene Wayne De Kol 271 71, Holstein-Friesian bull. Owned 
by the Ohio State University. Second prize in class at the Pan-American 
Exposition, 1901, and frequently first prize and champion on the 1902 fair 
circuit. Photograph by the author 

average large, but are not longer or more crooked than in other 
breeds. The color in America is almost always black and white 
in patches, white with some animals prevailing, while black 
prevails more with others. In Holland red and white animals 
of the breed exist, and several pure-bred herds of the color are 



268 CATTLE 

maintained, to the exclusion of black and white. In quality the 
Holstein-Friesian is too frequently deficient, as exhibited in coarse 
hair, large joints, and thick skin lacking in mellowness. In tem- 
perament this compares favorably with other dairy breeds. 

The size of the Holstein-Friesian places it. among the largest 
breeds of cattle. The writer for many years has recorded the 
birth weights of calves, including six breeds. Of these the Hol- 
stein-Friesian has produced the largest, one weighing 125 pounds 
the day calved. Mature bulls often weigh very heavy. Kate 
Spray's Paul De Kol, when owned by the Ohio State University, 
attained a weight of 2600 pounds and never was fat. The bull 
Constantyn 2040 H.H.B., when six years old, weighed 2715 
pounds. Netherland Prince 716 H.H.B., the most famous bull 
imported twenty-five years ago, at eight years weighed 2050 
pounds. A reasonable and moderate weight for the aged bull 
ranges from 1900 to 2000 pounds. Like the males, the females 
of the breed sometimes attain great size. The cow Rosa'Bonheur 
5th 1 1227 weighed as high as 1850 pounds while owned by the 
Michigan Agricultural College, while Belle Sarcastic 23039, owned 
by the same college, weighed 1900 pounds when fat. These 
cows, however, are extreme cases. Among noted cows of the 
breed at maturity Pietertje 2d 3273 H.H.B. weighed 1365 pounds; 
Ue Kol 2d 734 H.H.B., 1240; Pauline Paul 2199 H.H.B. , 1450 ; 
Aaggie90i H.H.B., 1375; Echo 121 H.H.B., 1920; and Princess 
of Wayne 954 H.H.B., 1370. For mature cows a weight of 1250 
to 1400 is acceptable, some families tending to weigh heavier than 
others. The average weight of the cows five years old or over 
recorded in the fourth volume of the advanced register is given 
as 1262 pounds. 

Some measurements of Holstein-Friesian cows of interest are 
published by the association i)romoting the breed. The average 
measurements of cows in Vol. IV advanced registry are as follows : 

Height, perpendicular, at shoulders 51.8 in. 

Height, perpendicular, at hips 53.0 " 

Length of body, extreme point shoulder to point rump 64.9 " 
Length of rump, front hips to extreme point rump . 21.4 " 

Width of hips 21.9 " 

Girth of heart at smallest chest circumference . . 75-6 " 



THE HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN 



269 



The Holstein-Friesian cow as a producer of milk, in quantity 
leads all other breeds and occupies a class by herself. Wonder- 
ful records have been reported during the past twenty-five years 
in America, credited to Holstein-Friesian cows. A few of the 
loading private tests are as follows : 



Name op Cow 



Pietertje 2d 3273 H.H.B. . . 
Princess of Wayne 954 H.H.B. 
Clothilde 1308 H.H.B. . . . 

Echo, 121 H.H.B 

Belle Sarcastic 23039 . . . 

Howtje D. 12005 

Rosa Bonheur 5th 11227 . . 
Empress 539 H.H.B. . . . 
Pauline Paul 2199 H.H.B. . . 



Yield 



30,318 lb. 
29,008 " 
26,021 " 

23.775 " 
21,075 " 
19,025 " 

17,043 " 
19,714 " 
18,699 " 



80Z. 
15 " 



Duration 
Test 



I 3'ear 
I 



314 days 
I year 



When 
Made 



1 885- 1 886 

1894-1895 
1 894-1895 
1S94-1895 



In 1 90 1 a circular issued by the Holstein-Friesian Association 
stated that 'j'j cows had been received to advanced registry that 
had produced from 15,000 to 30,000 pounds of milk in periods 
of ten months to one year. A fair cow of the breed, when five 
years old or over, should produce from 7000 to 9000 pounds of 
milk a year with proper feed and care. 

Daily milk yields of Holstein-Friesian cows have been reported 
up to 1 22 ^ pounds in one day, this being the largest yield reported, 
credited in private test to Shadeland Boon 2d 8892 H.H.B., 
owned by Powell Brothers of Pennsylvania. Many cows have 
IM-oduccd 60 pounds in a day. In the Louisiana Purchase Expo- 
sition breed test the 15 Holstein-Friesians for 120 days averaged 
53.4 pounds of milk each daily, compared with 41.5 for the 
Jerseys and 44.2 for the Brown Swiss. 

The Holstein-Friesian as a butter producer takes high rank on 
account of the large yield of milk. The milk is not rich in butter 
fat, possessing an average range of from three to four per cent. 
Some families tend to produce a milk poor in fat, while others 
show a greater amount. The fat globules in this milk rank in 
the smaller class, and do not cream by gravity so rapidly as 



2 70 CATTLE 

Jersey or Guernsey milk. In total butter-fat or butter produc- 
tion, however, large records have been made. The largest annual 
butter record reported in any breed is that of Pauline Paul 2199 
H.H.B., said to have produced in private test in one year 1153 




Fig. 117. Jolie Johanna 36779, grand-champion Holstein-Friesian cow at the 
Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904. In the working dairy at the expo- 
sition, in 1 20 days, this cow produced 6630.6 pounds milk, yielding 
221.6 pounds butter fat. Photograph by the author 

pounds 15] ounces of churned and salted butter. Aaggie Cornu- 
copia Pauline 48426 holds the largest weekly Holstein-Friesian 
butter record, that of 34 pounds 5.2 ounces in this time. She also 
has a one-day record of 6 pounds 61 ounces of butter. 

The immense yields of milk and butter reported in private test 
are open to the same objections as have been raised against 
those made by other breeds. 

The official testing of Holstein-Friesians by agricultural experi- 
ment stations or college supervisors has resulted in establishing 
a large number of official records worthy of credence, which show 
something of the ability of animals of the breed. Among the 
official weekly records based on butter-fat tests, estimated to 
80 per cent butter fat, the following are of interest : 



THE HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN 



271 



Aaggie Cornucopia Pauline 48426. 
Mercedes Julips' Pietertje 2166. 

Beryl Wayne 11 77 

AltaPosch 18S2 

Netherland Hengerveld 1133 . . 

De Kol 2d 412 

Lilith Pauline De Kol 141 5 . . . 

Belle Korndyke 1449 

Mutual Friend 2d 961 

Susie De Kol 1325"^ 

Canary's Mercedes 1109 . 

The largest record for a two-year-old is 27 pounds 0.7 ounces, 
estimated 80 per cent butter, from the heifer Alta Posch 1882. 

In the Louisiana Purchase Exposition dairy test the average 
per cent of fat in the Holstein-Friesian milk in the 120 days' 
butter test was 3.4 per cent. In this test the cows of the Dutch 



Yield 


34 lb. 


5.2 oz. butter 




29 " 


5.7 




27 " 


14.0 




27 " 


1.2 " 




26 " 


10.7 




26 " 


9.2 




26 " 


9.6 




25 " 


12.3 




25 " 


12.2 " 




25 " 


4.9 


a 


25 •' 


2.6 




Fig. iiS. ( m1 iii'li I it!i'~ JMhaini.i .(^^77, a Holstein-Friesian cow, owned by 
W. J. Gillett & Son, Rosendale, Wisconsin. In 1901, in three-year age 
this cow produced 12,887.7 pounds milk, testing 444 pounds butter fat. 
Photograph by the author 

breed made an average of 1.832 pound fat per day, or 2.12 pounds 
estimated butter. The Holstein-Friesian cow Shadybrook Gcrbcn 
43753 ""i the 120 days produced 8 10 1.7 pounds milk, containing 
282.6 pounds butter fat, the largest record made by any cow of 
any breed, showing a net profit of $46.02 over cost of production. 



I 72 



CATTLE 



Holstein-Friesian milk for cheese is very extensively used in 
Holland, where large quantities of Edam, Gouda, and other 
cheeses are made and shipped all over the world. This milk 
contains a large percentage of solids not fat, and so makes a 
very nutritious cheese, though its food value would be increased 
by a greater ]:)ercentagc of fat in the milk. 

Holstein-Friesians as beef producers do not rank well in Amer- 
ica, any more than do the other dairy breeds. There is too much 
waste in killing, with too much bone and intestinal fat. Young 




Fig. 119. Kate Spray 5th 67832, first-prize Holstein-Friesian heifer at 
Ohio State Fair in 1905. Owned by W. B. Smith & Son, Cohim- 
bus, Ohio. Photograpli by the author 

Holsteins, however, make e.Kcellent veal, and the author has rarely 
eaten veal in America equal to that commonly served in hotels in 
Holland. In valuations placed on Holstein beef fed by the Iowa 
Agricultural College, experts rated it eighth among nine breeds, 
the Jersey coming last. Holstein-T^riesians will gain in weight but 
will not produce the desired ciuality of beef to suit the buyers. 

The grade or cross-bred Holstein-Friesian may be an improve- 
ment over the dam, if a pure-bred bull be used. The wisdom 
of this breeding, however, depends on the purpose. If for 
milk production, by means of pure-bred bulls a high-grade, very 



THE HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN 



273 



profitable herd may be produced. In the vicinity of large cities 
are to be found herds of high grades that produce large yields 
of milk for the retail trade. By selecting sires coming from 
families yielding milk superior in quality as well as quantity, 
more favorable results may be expected than if no care in 





1 




^£ 




[ ^, H^^^^ 









Fig. 120. The pure-bred Holstein-Friesian ox Jerry, owned by J. D. Avery, 
Buckland, Massachu.setts. This ox is reported to measure Jj\ hands high, 
to girth 10] feet, and to weigh 4365 pounds. On a good road he will easily 
walk a mile in 30 minutes. Photograph from Mr. Avery 

selection is practiced. Owing to their size, the bulls should 
not be mated to animals of smaller breed type. 

Holstein-Friesian oxen are in favor in some localities where 
cattle are employed in draft work. Mr. James D. Avery of 
Massachusetts, who has long used them, testifies highly to the 
worth of the breed for this purpose. A pure-bred ox of his, named 
Jerry, at nine years old weighed 4365 pounds, stood 17^ hands 
high, was 10 feet 3 inches in girth and 15 feet 11 inches long. 



2 74 CATTLE 

The breeding power of the Holstein-Friesian and maturing qual- 
ities are about average. The calves do not mature as rapidly as 
most of the dairy breeds, but stand well in ability to reproduce and 
give extended service in breeding. The heifers usually come into 
milk at about 26 to 30 months old, though some prefer earlier. 

Among the great breeding Holstein-Friesian bulls special mention 
should be made of the following as leading sires having numerous 
officially tested daughters recorded in the advanced registry : Aaltje 
Salo 3ds Tritomia Netherland 19856, De Kol 2ds Paul De Kol 
20735, Paul De Kol 14634, Paul Beets De Kol 22235, A^ggi^ 
Beauty 2d's Statesman 18 169 and Hengerveld De Kol 23102. 

I-Cach of these bulls has sired a large number of cows that have 
made tests, ranging from 50 with the fir.st listed to 1 1 with the last. 

Holstein-Friesian families of prominence may be mentioned as 
follows, though there are others of equal note : Aaggic, descended 
from Aaggie 901 ; NctJicrland, from Lady Netherland 1263 ; 
ClotJiildc, from Clothilde I'^o'S, ; Johamia, from Johanna 142 i ; 
iraj'?u\ from Queen of Wayne 955 H.H.B.; Pauline Paul, from 
Pauline Paul 2 199 H.H.B. ; De Kol, from De Kol 2d 734 ; Schnil- 
ing, from Schuiling 3350 ; and Pietertje, from Pietertje 2d 3273. 
P^ach of these families has many distinguished representatives. 

Organizations for the promotion of Holstein-Friesian cattle first 
developed in America. About 1872 a number of men in the 
eastern United States, led by W. W. Chenery of Massachusetts, 
organized the Association of Breeders of Thoroughbred Plolstein 
Cattle. In 1872 the first volume of the Holstein herdbook was 
published. Nine volumes in all were issued, the last appearing in 
1885. In 1879 a number of men who had been importing and 
breeding Dutch cattle, who disaj)proved of the word Holstein as 
being illogical and out of place, organized the Dutch Friesian 
Cattle Breeders' Association and in 1880 published Volume I 
of the Dutch Friesian Herdbook, of which four volumes were 
issued, the last in 1885. After more or less friction, in view of 
the fact that each organization was bringing over the same class 
of cattle, a conference was held in 1885 and the two associations 
amalgamated under the name of the Holstein-P'riesian Associa- 
tion of North America. Since 1885, up to January, 1905, twenty- 
two herdbooks have been issued by the combined association. In 



THE HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN 275 

1875 an association was organized in Holland under the name of 
the North Holland Herdbook Association. In 1885 an American 
branch of this was organized, and Volume I of the American 
Ikanch of the North Holland Herdbook was published in 1888. 
There is also an organization in Canada, — the Holstein-Friesian 
Association of Canada, founded in 1891, which has published 
seven herdbooks to 1905. Besides the above the Holstein- 
Friesian Association of North America publishes an advanced 
registry, established in 1885, of cows that have made official 
butter tests under expert, impartial supervision. This registry 
also contains lists of sires of tested cows. The first volume was 
published in 1887, followed by three other separate volumes, 
after which the advanced registry was for a time incorporated 
in the regular issue of the herdbook. In Volume I 31 bulls 
and 300 cows were registered. Recently the Holstein-Friesian 
records have been published in an annual yearbook. 

The distribution of Holstein-Friesian cattle outside of Holland 
is mainly in Belgium, northern Germany, and parts of Russia, 
while the breed is widely distributed over North America. For 
years important breeding herds have been kept in New York 
State, a recognized Holstein-Friesian center. Large herds are 
also kept in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, 
Michigan, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. In extensive dairy 
districts and near large cities herds of this breed are most com- 
mon. While not so well suited to hot, dry climates, and to rough, 
poor lands, Holstein-Friesians seem to thrive over a wide range, 
for herds are successfully kept from California to Maine and from 
Canada to Mexico. Naturally abundance of food is essential for 
this large type of cattle. 




Fig. 121. A pasture view of the Holstein-Friesian herd of K. N. Kuperus in 
Holland, one of the best-known Dutch breeders. Photograph by the author 



CHAPTER XXXVI 

THE GUERNSEY 

The native home of Guernsey cattle is on the islands of Guern- 
sey and Alderney, in the Channel Islands group, off the coast of 
France in the English Channel. The island of Guernsey, on which 
they arc mainly bred, is triangular in form and is about nine and 
one half miles long from southeast to northwest, and six across 
in the widest part. The south coast is a long cliff, reaching a 
height of 270 feet, the land roughly sloping northward to a low 
beach. There is a population of about 35,000 on the island, St. 
Peter Port is the main town, and the people beside producing 
cattle, make a specialty of crops under glass, such as grapes, 
tomatoes, melons, flowers, etc., for the London market. Guernsey 
is second in size to Jersey, contains, with one or two little 
islands, 12,600 acres, and maintains some 5000 head of cattle. 
The climate is most balmy the year round, the island being a 
famous health resort. The cattle are kept in small herds, each 
animal being tethered when in pasture, grazing systematically 
and making careful use of all food. 

The origin of the Guernsey, like that of the Jersey, is quite 
obscure, but is supposed by many to have been derived from the 
same French ancestry of Brittany and Normandy cattle. It is 
assumed that the red color and size of the breed are derived from 
the use of bulls from Normandy taken to the island in very early 
times. Like the Jersey, the Guernsey for many years has been 
protected at home by the exclusion of all other breeds. Any live 
cattle brought to the island, excepting from Alderney, must be 
slaughtered within twenty-four hours. By a long-continued 
process of selection a larger type of cattle than Jerseys has 
been produced, yet these have much in common with that breed. 

The systematic improvement of the Guernsey was materially 
promoted by the organization of the Royal Guernsey Agricultural 

276 



THE GUERNSEY 277 

and Horticultural Society, which sought to establish the breed 
on a uniform and high basis. Annual exhibitions are held, the 
cattle on the island compete, and the best individuals are care- 
fully inspected and given proper distinction and prizes according 
to merit. 

The introduction of the Guernsey to America dates back early 
in the last century. In 1824 Reuben Haines of Germantovvn, 
Pennsylvania, wrote in the Memoirs of the Pennsylvania Agri- 
cultural Society that he " procured a pair of cattle of the Island 




Fig. 1 22. Sheet Anchor 2934, a famous Guernsey sire and show bull. Owned 
by H. McKay Twombly, Madison, New Jersey. Photograph by Schreiber 

of Alderney" and soon satisfied himself that no breed in the 
country would bear a comparison with them. These were 
imported in 18 18, and may be regarded as Guernseys in fact, 
inasmuch as cattle on the Alderney Island are to-day registered 
in the island of Guernsey herdbook. According to publications 
of the American Guernsey Cattle Club, cattle were brought to 
America from Guernsey about 1830, but concerning these no 
special record was made. About 1850 a few were brought to 
the vicinity of Philadelphia, and after 1865 more began to be 
imported to the seaboard states. About 1865 E. P. P. Fowler 



278 CATTLE 

and P. H. Fowler began importing. Soon after J. M. Codman 
of Boston, E. F. Bovvditch of South Framingham, Massachu- 
setts, and T. M. Harvey of Chester County, Pennsylvania, began 
to import. In 1877 a few energetic breeders came together in 
New York City and organized the American Guernsey Breeders' 
Association. At the annual meeting in December, 1877, it was 
reported that 193 Guernseys were registered by the secretary, 
1 14 of which were imported. Then for years the interests of the 
breed met with but slow growth, until about 1893, when public 
interest was much excited by the record made by Guernseys in the 
dairy cattle tests at the World's Columbian Plxposition at Chicago. 




Fig. 123. Coialette's Son 3987, second-prize aged Guernsey bull at the Lou- 
isiana Purchase flxposition, IQ04. Bred and exhibited by G. C. Hill & 
Son, Kosendale, Wisconsin. Photograph by the author 

Characteristics of Guernseys. Ingmeral a/^pcarajice\.\\Q cattle 
of this breed are larger than Jerseys, are coarser of style, show 
more constitution, and have a different shade of fawn color. The 
color is either yellowish, browni.sh, or reddish fawn, the latter 
prevailing, frequently with white markings or with white on the 
limbs or under part of the body. The imi::de is buff or flesh 
colored and is surrounded by a whitish or yellowish circle of 
hair. The eyes also are usually encircled by a similar marking. 
The Jiorns should be white or amber colored, and are often tinted 
a deep yellow, curving gracefully around inward and slightly 



THE GUERNSEY 



279 



upward with the cows, though the bull's horns are shorter, 
stronger, and less curved. The hoofs should also be of amber 
color. A rich yellow secretion is most characteristic of the Guern- 
sey, breeders laying much emphasis on it in the scale of points. 
The color of skin, as shown generally, and especially in the ears, 
about the udder or scrotum, and at the end of tail, is a very deep 
yellow. The udder of the Guernsey is larger and shows more 
fore-udder development and larger teats than does the Jersey, 
though not materially differing in quality. In goieral quality 
cattle of this breed show \'ery mellow, thin, elastic skins, 
moderately fine hair, frequently heavy shoulders and have some- 
what larger and coarser limbs than the Jersey. The tempera- 
ment is superior, the males perhaps being hardly as nervous and 
irritable as are Jersey bulls, although the dairy temperament is 
characteristic with each sex. 

The size of the Guernsey most acceptable to the American 
Guernsey Cattle Club is about 1500 pounds for a bull four years 
old or over, and 1050 pounds for a cow of the same age class, 
these being the score-card standards. 

The quantity of milk produced by the Guernsey may be very 
- onsiderable. The cows are retentive milkers and produce rather 
ireely. In general, a yield of 5000 pounds a year should be 
easily averaged in a herd. Some rather large individual records 
have been produced in recent years, among which the following 
are noteworthy : 



Name of Cow 



N'eksa Sunbeam 15439 
Lily Alexandre 1059 
Lilyita 7241 . . . 

Miss Bobolink 2157 . 
Lily Ella 7240 . . . 
Gypsy of Racine 9639 
Glenwood Girl 6th 9113 



Age DuRiNt; 
Period 



5 
13 
5 
8 
5 



Yield Milk 



14,920.80 lb 

12,856.00 ' 

12,812.73 ' 

12,437.00 ' 

12,282.62 ' 

12,247.50 ' 

12,184.30 ' 



year 



About 20 cows of this breed are reported as producing 10,000 
or more pounds of milk a year. For average yearly herd records 



28o 



CATTLE 



Major Alvord reports one herd of 104 animals of all ages making 
5317 pounds of milk ; another herd of 1 5 cows, 6626 pounds; and 
a third herd of 10 averaging 6347 pounds. Yields are also given 
of from 48 to 52 pounds per day. 

The Guernsey as a butter producer is entitled to special dis- 
tinction. In numerous tests at experiment stations, on farms 
under official supervision, and in public competition the breed 
has attained very high honors. Guernsey milk is usually of a 
higher natural yellow color than that of any other breed equally 
common, due to its butter-fat content. The fat globules are 
large and have a deeper yellow than even the Jersey. In fact 

Guernsey breeders seek 
the rich yellow as a char- 
acteristic, arguing that 
with this breed it is not 
necessary to color the 
butter, as its natural yel- 
low meets the market 
demands. In the Pan- 
American dairy breed 
competition, in which the 
Guernseys secured first 
honors, the average per 
cent of fat in the milk 
was 4.68, compared with 
4.82 for the Jersey and 
4.75 for the Polled Jersey. 
Howev'er, the Guernsey butter scored an average of 96.34 total 
points, compared with 95.80 for the Jersey ; while in color that 
of the Guernsey had an average grade of 14.97 out of a pos- 
sible 15 points, the best record of any of the ten breeds. The 
five Guernsey cows in the Pan-American test for the six months 
produced 1429.43 pounds of churned butter, valued at $357.36, 
yielding a net profit of ^220.37, the best record of any breed 
in profit, and almost the first record in amount of butter pro- 
duced, the Holstein-Friesian leading in this regard by only three 
fourths of a pound. In this test of 50 cows of ten breeds the 
Guernsey cow Mary Marshall 5604, aged 10 years, led the list, 




Fig. 1 24. Island Champion 62623. Before im- 
I)ortation this bull, who had won the highest 
honors on the island, was known as Masher 
II. Photographed on the island of Guern- 
sey by the author 



THE GUERNSEY 



281 



producing in six months 56 11 pounds of milk, testing 5.36 per 
cent and yielding 301.13 pounds butter fat and 354.26 pounds 
churned butter, giving a total profit of $59.43. 

Yearly butter herd records of Guernseys furnish important 
testimony. In 1896, 83 cows and heifers of L. P. Morton of 
New York averaged 313 pounds of butter, and 35 cows in 1898 
averaged 514 pounds. The entire herd of Ezra Michener of 
Pennsylvania, for ten years has averaged 325 pounds per head. 
Twelve head of Hill & Son of Wisconsin, in 1893, averaged 
382.2 pounds ; 19 head of Sydney Fisher of Canada, 300 pounds ; 
16 head of N. I. Bowditch of Massachusetts, 397.1 pounds ; and 
28 cows of H. McKay Twombly, 376.6 pounds. It may be safely 
estimated that a fair Guernsey herd will average at least 300 
pounds of butter per head per year, and should do better. 

While this breed has not been tested as much as either Jersey 
or Holstein-P'riesian, it has made some large butter records, 
from which the following are selected as notable. 

Notable Guernsey Yearly Butter Records 



Name of Cow 



Average 
Fat in Milk 



Total 
Fat 



Estimated 
Butter 



Veksa Sunbeam 15439 
Lily Ella 7240 . . . 
Lllyita 7241 .... 
Charmante of the Grove i 
Gypsy of Racine 9639 
Bretonne 3660 . . . 
Buda 7178 .... 
Portia of Maplehurst 1007 
Miss Bobolink 2157 
Glenwood Girl 6th 91 1 
Quibble 6017 . . 



444 



9 
6 

4 

13 

5 

6 



5.74 per cent 
6.42 " 
5.69 

5-45 
6.96 

4.80 

4.78 " 
5-17 



857-1 

782.2 

710.5 
676.5 
611. 4 
602.9 
602.7 
602.4 

596.9 
572.2 

545-3 



1 000.0 lb. 
912.5 " 
828.9 " 
789-2 " 
713-3 " 
703-4 " 
703.0 " 
702.8 " 
696.5 " 
667.5 " 
636.0 " 



The record of Yeksa Sunbeam, being ofificially supervised by 
the Wisconsin Experiment Station, is famous as being the 
largest official test of butter-fat production recorded for one 
year. This cow is owned by Mr. Fred Rietbrock of Milwaukee, 
Wisconsin. 



282 



CATTLE 



The most important butter record of a two-year-old Guernsey 
for one year, is that of the heifer Dolly Bloom 12770, which, from 
March 26, 1902, in 365 days produced 8841.58 pounds of milk, 
which tested 453.86 pounds butter fat, an average of 5 . 1 3 per cent. 

Seven days' butter records of Guernseys have been made to 
quite an extent, and many animals listed as having made ofificial 
tests of 14 or more pounds of butter in this time. Following are 
some of the more prominent ones : 



Name of Cow 



Butter 
Record 



Royalette 3299 

Nubia's Vesta 5986 . . . 

Gully 5th 1590 

Lily Ella 7240 

Bessie de la Pailloteiie 1409 
Fantine 2d 3730 . . . . 
Fernwood Lily 1468 . . . 
Select 2205 



28 lb. 12 oz. 

25 

24 

-3 

23 

23 " 7h 



The cheese value of Guernsey milk ranks very well, although 
not largely used for this purpose, being mainly turned to butter 
production or retail milk trade. The milk stands well in total 
solids, that of whole herds often averaging 14 to 15 per cent, 
thus furnishing a satisfactory grade of cheese. The only ofificial 
test on a large scale, showing the value of Guernsey milk in 
cheese making, was in 1893 at the World's Columbian E.xposition. 
In this trial, covering i 5 days, participated in by Guernseys, Jerseys, 
and Shorthorns, the following results of interest were secured : 



Guernsey 
Jersey . . 
Shorthorn 



Total Yield 
Cheese 



I I 30.62 lb. 
1451.76 " 
1077.60 " 



Lb. Milk to 
I Lb. Cheese 



9.67 
9.16 



Total Value 
Cheese 



?'3,S-22 
193.98 
140.14 



Net Profit 
OF Test 



^88.30 
1 19.82 
81.36 



Score of 
Cheese 



87.2 
90.7 
90-5 



This record jDlaces the Jersey first and the Guernsey second, 
excepting in grade of cheese, where it ranked third. 



THE GUERNSEY 



283 



The Guernsey in beef production can have but a subordinate 
place. A larger and perhaps fatter carcass may be made than 
with the Jersey, but this presents the same objection as other 
dairy breeds, — too much offal, a low percentage of high-priced 
cuts, and, in this case, too yellow fat. In flavor and quality 
Guernsey beef or veal will rank high. 

The cross-bred or grade Guernsey has its distinctive place on 
the dairy farm. Crossing of breeds is not advisable, but using 




Fig. 125. (luernsey Cliampion 8ji.>, l)y Island Champion ')-'03, grand- 
champion Guernsey bull at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904. 
Owned and exhibited by H. McKay Twombly, Madison, New Jersey. 
Photograph by the author 

Guernsey sires on grade cows will give excellent results if intelli- 
gently followed, yielding very rich milk eminently suited to butter 
making or city cream or milk trade. If a sire with strong con- 
stitution is selected for use on grade Jerseys, the constitution, 
size, and productivity of the herd may be improved ; if used on 
grade Holstein-Friesian cows, a herd producing richer milk, 
though not so much, may be expected. 

The early maturing character of the Guernsey is not marked. 
The young bulls show masculine traits more slowly than the 
Jersey, and reach maturity somewhat later. 



284 CATTLE 

Guernsey bulls of special distinction in America are not in 
large number, due to the fact that until recently the breed has 
not been prominently before the public, and comparatively few 




Fig. 126. Princess May 1479 F.S., a choice specimen of a Guernsey cow, 
and dam of the imported bull Deputy 2917, at head of the Pan- 
American Exposition Guernsey herd. From a photograph taken by 
the author on the island of Guernsey 

elaborate tests of females have been made. The following bulls 
have attained eminence both as sires and as show animals in 
the most important exhibitions : 

Lord Stra/ifoid 2\$j (imported) by Chronicler 418 P.S. 

Benjamin 1931 by Jeweler 1274. 

Sheet Anchor 2934 by Lord Stranford 2187. 

Mainstay 3789 by Sheet Anchor 2934. 

Lily Ella'' s Jeweler 5417 by Springunde 4302. 

Lsland Champion 6263 (imported) by Masher 705 P.S. 

Prince Roscndale 4291 by Viscount 2177. 

The distribution of the Guernsey breed is mainly restricted to 
Guernsey Island, England, the United States, and Canada. For 
many years large and suj)erior herds have been maintained in 
England, especially in the midland and southern counties. In 
the United States the breed is best represented in New England 



THE GUERNSEY 285 

and New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin, but 
is also found occasionally in other states, notably in the East and 
middle West. Why the Guernsey has not attracted more atten- 
tion in the United States has never been clear to the author. It 
is a dairy breed of the highest merit, as repeated tests have 
shown, yet it is quite limited in development, and does not 
seem to get much foothold in some of our greatest dairy states, 
especially in the Mississippi Valley. 

Organizations for the promotion of Guernsey interests exist 
on Guernsey and in England and the United States. The 
Royal Guernsey Agricultural and Horticultural Society has for 
many years supervised the registration and promotion of Guern- 
seys on the island. Two herdbooks are maintained, one for 




Fig. 127. Rutila's Daughter 6670, a very beautiful Guernsey cow with a record 
of 8988 pounds milk in one year, testing 489.8 pounds butter fat. Owned 
by H. McKay Twombly, Madison, New Jersey. Photograph by Schreiber 

general registration, the other for advanced registry. The Eng- 
lish Guernsey Cattle Society was organized in 1885 and has pub- 
lished twenty herdbooks to 1904. The American Guernsey Cattle 
Club was organized in 1877 in New York City, and has pub- 
lished to 1905 about fifteen herd registers, these being issued in 



286 



CATTLE 



quarterly parts, since 1895, as the American Guernsey Herd 
Register and Breeders' Journal. The American club also main- 
tains an advanced register. Bulls are admitted in two classes : 
{a) after scaling 80 points and having two daughters in the 
register ; and {b) without scaling, after two daughters are regis- 
tered. Cows are placed in two classes : {a) for milk or butter-fat 
records and scaling over 75 points ; and {b) for milk or fat records 




Fig. 1 28. Ycksa Sunbeam 1 5439, the Guernsey cow holding the world's record 
for the largest official butter-fat test in one year. During 12 months end- 
ing in 1905 she produced 14,920.8 pounds milk which tested 857.15 
pounds fat, equivalent to 1000 pounds butter. Owned by Fred Rietbrock, 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Photograph from the author 

without scaling. The cows must produce from the first day of 
two years of age, or before, at least 6000 pounds of milk, and 
this is scaled up to a minimum of 10,000 pounds for cows five 
years old or over. So the year's butter-fat record must have a 
minimum of 250.5 pounds at two years, and 360 for over five. 
Seven-day fat tests are also provided for. The tests for advanced 
registry arc supervised by agricultural college or experiment 
station e.\j)erls. 



CHAPTER XXXVII 

THE AYRSHIRE 

The native home of the Ayrshire is in southwestern Scotland 
in the county of A)r, from which the breed derives its name. 
Ayr is triangularly crescent in its shape, its southern tip just 
touching latitude 55° north, its western boundary somewhat in- 
dented and bordering the Irish Sea and river Clyde, its other 
sides skirted by the counties of Renfrew, Lanark, Dumfries, 
Kirkcudbright, and Wigtown. There is an extreme length of 
about 80 miles, with an area of about 1 150 square miles. Rather 
poor and sandy land occurs in the southern part toward the sea, 
while much beautiful rolling pasture land of fair soil is found 
more inland, and some rougher land on the eastern borders. On 
the better lands, which are clayey, grass, oats, and wheat are 
largely grown and there is abundance of summer grazing. The 
climate is very moist, but the bitterness of a northern winter is 
somewhat tempered by the sea. 

The origin of the Ayrshire has been in the main a complex 
one. Aiton, the first and almost only early authority on the 
breed, wrote A Sui-vey of Ayrshire about 181 1. He regarded 
it as the native breed of Ayr, improved by certain other stock. 
Some time about 1770 Teeswater cattle. Shorthorn, or similar 
stock were introduced into Ayrshire. John Dunlop of Dunlop 
is credited with importing cows of large size, of either Teeswater, 
Dutch, or Lincoln breeds, and in 1805 Dunlop stock is referred 
to by Forsythe as having been established in the parish of that 
name for over a century. Other writers claim that the cattle of 
the Channel Islands crossed with Shorthorns were early used in 
Ayrshire. About 18 18 West Highland cattle were used by Mr. 
Parton near Dairy, Ayr, on a superior herd of Ayrshires. Devon 
and Hereford blood are also said to have been used by other 
breeders. The earliest accounts of the cattle of Ayrshire show 

287 



288 



CATTLE 



them to have been black and white. About 1780 red and white 
became fashionable, while from 1785 to 1805 brown and white 
mottled cattle were much preferred, and later, in 18 10, red and 
white was a common color. These latter colors of brown, red, 
and white have been carried down to the present time. Thus it 
is apparent that the Ayrshire as a breed is evolved from a variety of 
blood, mainly from types associated with larger milking capacity. 
The early improvers of the Ayrshire were not notably distin- 
guished over the general run of breeders who seek to improve 




Fig. 129. Dunraven of Ste. Amies 7662, an Ayrshire bull owned by 
Howard Cook, Beloit, Ohio. This animal has been a prominent 
first-prize winner and champion at leading shows in 1905 and 1906. 
Photograph by the author 

local cattle. It was early evident that the people laid importance 
on milk production. Forsythe, a Scotchman, writes in 1805 of 
cows yielding from 24 to 30 quarts of milk daily; and in 1829 
William Harley states that he had cows that occasionally gave 
25 to 30 quarts dail}-, and one day even produced 40 quarts. In 
1836 the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland offered 
a large premium to be competed for by the breed. By 1850 
Ayrshires were the prevailing stock in Ayr and also in Renfrew 
and Lanark counties. In 1853 the first systematic effort at im- 
provement came in a scale of points adopted by the Ayr.shire 



TH1-: AYRSHIRE 



289 



Agricultural Association. In 1 866, in a prize essay on county Ayr, 
Archibald Sturrock writes that "a capacious and well-set udder 
is certainly the chief point of excellence in the Ayrshire cow." 

The introduction of the Ayrshire to America probably first 
occurred early in the last century, when Scotch settlers moved 
to Canada. In the Memoirs of the Pennsylvania Agricultural 
Society for 1824 considerable discussion is devoted to breeds 
of cattle, yet the name Ayrshire is not used. John Hare Powell, 
the secretary, who had studied the breeds in Europe, says, '* I 
have traced every importation of which I have heard," and makes 
special reference to eight different states and various breeds, 
but docs not mention the Ayrshire. Sturtevant states that the 
first importation into the United States is thought to have been 
made in 1822 by H. \V. Hills to Windsor, Connecticut. In 1837 
the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture imported 
one cow, which is reported to have yielded sixteen pounds of butter 
a week for several weeks. Lewis F. Allen of New York writes 
that in 1837 he visited the Ayrshire herd of John P. Cushing 
near Boston, Massachusetts, who had imported from Ayrshire 
regardless of price. In 1848 E. A. Brown introduced Ayrshires to 
Ohio, these being the first of this dairy breed to enter the state. 

Characteristics of Ayrshires. Mature cattle of this breed 
impress one as of medium dairy size, as large milk producers, and 
yet with more of a beefy tendency than some other dairy breeds. 
The color includes red, brown, and white. In 1875 Sturtevant 
quoted as follows from a letter from Robert Wilson, a breeder 
in Scotland: 

Colors of Ayrshires are much the same since I can remember ; different 
breeders have their particular color. Light yellow, though common with 
some breeders, is not the most common color. Red and white flecked, though 
it should incline a little to yellowish or brown, is more a prevailing color of 
the breed. . . . White, if there be not roan mixed with it, I do not con- 
sider a proof of the presence of Shorthorn blood. Our favorite colors are 
white flecked or red bodies and white legs. Dark reds and black muzzles 
are favorites also. 

In 1875 Sturtevant published statistics of a color classification 
of 2852 Ayrshires in the United States, of which 2014, or 70.61 
per cent, were red and white ; 222, or 7.78 per cent, red or mostly 



290 



CATTLE 



red; 241, or 8.45 per cent, brown and white; and 194, or 6.80 
per cent, white and red, the balance being spht into various colors. 
Secretary Winslow of the Ayrshire association in the 1902 year- 
book reports that the color that seems to please the majority is 
dark red and pure white, about one third white in splashes. In 
Canada and Scotland a strong admixture of white is popular. The 
Jiorns are white with black tips, curve outward and upward, and 
often, especially with cows, turn back at the tips. They fre- 
quently appear both long and rather large. Winslow states that 




Fig. 130. Gladys Drummond 11800, an Ayrshire cow, successfully shown by 
J. F. Converse & Co., Woodville, New York. Photograph by the author 

the size is a matter of local taste, either fine or coarse, the Scotch 
or Canadians preferring a larger horn than do the people in the 
States. The body of the Ayrshire is capacious, the ribs being 
long and well sprung, the rump usually high, broad, long, and 
level, while the thighs and the hind quarter partake somewhat 
of fleshiness. The depth of body often appears great, with a 
relative shortness of leg. The «(7'c/<r;' development of the modern 
Ayrshire presents a higher average perfection of form, in the 
writer's opinion, than does any other breed. The type is not 
pendent, but the rear part is carried well up behind, while the 
fore udder has unusual extension. A row of aged Ayrshire cows 



THE AYRSHIRE 



291 



in a show ring alongside other breeds is conspicuous for the 
uniform and superior type of udder. In quality Ayrshires are 
only medium, though thick heavy skins are far too abundant. 
The temperament is of a nervous character, this being especially 
true of the bulls, the cows having a reasonably mild disposition. 

The size of the Ayrshire is fairly uniform in the mature type. 
The American standard calls for the mature bull to weigh about 
1500 and the cow 1000 pounds. The Scotch standard favors a 
cow weighing about 1050 pounds. Sturtevant gives the weights 
of nine pure-bred aged cows in his herd, which varied from 985 
to 1200 pounds. The cows in Mr. Winslow's herd from 1881 to 
1887 showed an average 
yearly weight of from 
1020 to 1 102 pounds per 
head. 

The Ayrshire as a milk 
producer has ranked high 
since she first became 
known as a breed. In 
181 1 Alton wrote that 
probably 1200 Scotch 
pints (2148 quarts) of 
milk from each cow in the 
course of a year would be 
a fair average. In 1829 
Harley, a famous dairy- 
man, placed the average of his herd at 12 quarts a day. One 
of his cows for a considerable time gave 40 quarts per day. 
Ayrshire milk is only average in quality, usually testing between 
3.5 and 4 per cent butter fat and 12.5 per cent total solids. 

Ayrshire herd milk records of interest have been available for 
many years, a number of eastern breeders having long kept such 
statistics. In the Sturtevant herd in Massachusetts in 1873- 
1874 an average of 5475 pounds was secured from 14 cows. 
Mr. J. D. W. French of Massachusetts reports average herd 
records between 1874 and 1890 ranging from 5222 pounds to 
6934 pounds per head. Between 1880 and 1889 the herd of 
Mr. C. M. Winslow of Vermont averaged from 5782 pounds to 




Fig. 131. Knockdon Maggie, a prize-winning 
Ayrshire cow in Scotland, owned by Alex- 
ander Cross, Kilmarnock. Photograph by 
the author 



292 



CATl'LE 



7025 i)ounds a year per head. During four years the herd of 
Mr. L. S. Drew of Vermont averaged 6010, 5849, 6020, and 
6182 pounds per head annually. 

Notable individual records of Ayrshire cows compare favorably 
in amount with those of any breed except the Holstein-Friesian. 
The following official tests are recorded in the Ayrshire Yearbook : 



Yield Milk 



Alice Douglas 4398 
Rena Myrtle 9530 
Myra 2955 . . . 
Queen Mary 6578 . 
Ruth 4816 . . . 
Miss OUie 12039 • 
Durwood 12680 
Hornell Girl 13993 



12,617 i 
12,172 
1 1 ,908 

11,154 
10,219^ 

1,649 

1,477 



one year 



month 



One of the famous Ayrshire cows to attract attention was 
Duchess of Smithfield 4256, which in a seven days' test in 1885 
produced 46^% pounds of milk yielding 19 pounds 6 ounces 
of butter. 

The Ayrshire as a butter cow is secondary to some of the other 
breeds. In official yearly tests of individual cows, milk from Rena 
Myrtle 9530 produced 546 pounds of butter; Atalanta 10777, 
429 pounds ; Nancy B. 958 1, 416 pounds ; and Acme 5th 10342, 
386 pounds. Some fifty records of private tests for a year range 
from 400 pounds of butter up to 624 pounds credited to Lady 
Fox 9669. Many Ayrshire cows have official records of fifty or 
more pounds of butter a month, the highest being 96.66 pounds 
credited to Cad's Beauty 13606. Lukolela 12357 in seven days 
produced 18.98 pounds of butter; Miss Ollie 12039, ^7-^S 
pounds; and Miss Olga 13984, 16.70 pounds. 

Ayrshires in public tests have stood well. In the Pan-American 
dairy breed test in 1901 the five Ayrshires for 120 days ranked 
second in milk production, yielding 32,998.2 pounds milk, com- 
pared with 39,260.2 for the Holstein-Friesian ; fourth in estimated 
butter, 1434.7 pounds; and second in net profit, $242.24. It 
is but fair to state in this connection that the Pan-American 



THE AYRSHIRE 



293 



specimens of Ayrshires in the test were fine examples of the 
breed, which did not obtain with some of the other breeds. The 
best Ayrshire in the test, Betsy ist, produced 7041.5 pounds 
milk, which tested 3.59 per cent fat and yielded in estimated 
butter 298.57 pounds. She was eighth in rank among the fifty 
cows, giving a net profit of $46.07, compared with the Guernsey, 
Mary Marshall, first, with a net profit of $59.40. In comparisons 
made at various experiment stations and at fairs the Ayrshire has 
usually stood second to the Holstein-Friesian in milk production, 
but below this in butter fat. 

Ayrshire milk for cheese making has long been a standard for 
making Cheddar cheese in Scotland, where it is made on a large 
scale in the Ayrshire district. Containing as it does about the 






^■il^fW 



Fig. 132. In the Ayrshire ring at the Highland and Agricultural Society of 
Scotland Show, at Glasgow, 1897. Photograph by the author 



Standard amount of fat and solids for cheese making, this milk is 
regarded with favor for this purpose. In cheese tests at the 
Ontario E.xperimental Farm 100 pounds of Ayrshire milk pro- 
duced 12.9 pounds of curd, compared with an average of 12.8 for 
all breeds and grades. Professor Robert Wallace, the well-known 
Scotch authority, states that the Ayrshire is essentially a cheese 
dairy cow on account of the comparatively small-sized butter-fat 
globules of the milk and the abundance of the curd-making 
material it contains. 

The Ayrshire as a producer of beef ranks among the first of the 
dairy breeds. It is natural for animals of this breed to carry 
somcw'hat more flesh than the more refined dairy type. Ayrshire 
steers feed to make a very salable carcass, with a kilUng quality 



294 CAITLE 

more acceptable to the butcher than the other dairy breeds, lack- 
in<i- the high fat color of the Jersey and Guernsey and the offal 
of the Holstein-Fricsian. One Ayrshire steer 1095 days old is 
reported by Henry to have weighed 1320 pounds, gained 1.2 
pounds daily, and dressed out 63.3 per cent, the poorest daily 
gain made by any of eleven breeds, but dressing out better than 
Sussex, Holstein-Friesian, Jersey, or native. Other evidence also 
indicates that Ayrshires mature and feed slowly. 

The cross-bred or grade Ayrshire is better suited to milk pro- 
duction than anything else. Consequently Ayrshire bulls on 
grade cows will improve the herd to greater milk-producing 
power, and may add to their selling value to the butcher, if used 
on Jersey grades. 

The distribution of the Ayrshire is almost world-wide. Con- 
siderable numbers have been exported from Scotland to Sweden, 
Norway, Finland, Russia, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, 
China, Japan, Canada, and the United States. Quite a trade has 
sprung up between Scotland and Sweden and Norway. _In 
America the breed is best represented in Canada, notably in 
Ontario and Quebec, while in the United States it is chiefly 
found in the New England and eastern states. In the Mississippi 
Valley west of New York the Ayrshire has never succeeded in 
securing but a frail foothold, in spite of its evident merit. The 
breed seems to have adapted itself unusually well to the cooler 
and more hilly sections, being a good grazer and thriving under 
not the best of conditions. In fact the Ayrshire in Britain has 
been termed the i)oor man's cow, being better able to thrive on 
inferior land and feed than any other breed excepting the Kerry. 
This, however, should not affect its prospering in the great dairy- 
producing states of America west of New York. 

Organizations to promote Ayrshire interests exist in Scotland, 
Canada, and the United States. In 1863 a few men organized in 
Massachusetts and that year published Volume I of the Herd 
Record of the Association of Breeders of Thoroughbred Stock, 
Ayrshire. In 1868 a second volume was published, and in 1871 
Volume III appeared with the title The American and Canadian 
Ayrshire Herd Record. In January, 1875, the American Ayrshire 
Breeders' Association was formed, which continued this record. 



THE AYRSHIRE 



295 



publishing Volume IV that year. In 1876 Volume V, old series, 
or Volume I, new series, of the Ayrshire Record came out, since 
which a total of sixteen volumes (new series) has been published 
up to 1905. In 1874 E. L. and Joseph Sturtevant started a 
herdbook, publishing Volume I in 1875 as the NortJi American 
AyrsJiirc Register, this being for cattle tracing to importation. 
They published four volumes, the last in 1880. The Ayrshire 
Importers' and Breeders' Association of Canada was organized in 
1870 and the Dominion Ayrshire Breeders' Association in 1889 ; 
in 1898 the former merged with the latter. In 1884 the province 
of Ontario published Volume I of the Dominion Ayrshire Herd- 
book. In 1886 Volume I of the Montreal AyrsJiire Herdbook 
was published, and four volumes in all issued as the Canadian 
AyrsJiire Record, after which it was merged with the Dominion 
book into the Canadian Ayrshire Record, Volume IX being pub- 
lished in 1 899. The American Ayrshire Breeders' Association also 
provides for an advanced registry for both bulls and cows. The 
minimum year record for a cow five years old or over is 8500 
pounds of milk and 375 pounds of butter. The Scotch Ayrshire 
Cattle and Herdbook Society was founded in 1877, the first 
volume of the herdbook appearing in 1878, since when twenty- 
eight volumes have been published up to 1905 inclusiv^e. 



CHAPTER XXXVIII 



THE DUTCH Bl-:i;iEI) 



The native home of Dutch Belted cattle is Holland, where they 
arc known as Lakcnfcld cattle, the word " Laken " meaning 
blanket, or sheet, about the body. 

The origin of Dutch Belted cattle dates back beyond the seven- 
teenth century. This type is .said to have been established by 
scientific breeding and especially promoted and guarded by the 




Fig. 133. Sutton J79, a l)uich lleiit-ii Iniii owiu-d i)y !■ . K. ."^aiuleis. I.aconia, 
New Hamp.shire. Photograpli by the author 

nobility of the Netherlands. The Dutch Belted Hcrdbook states 
that at one time belted cattle having black rings about one inch 
wide around the eyes existed in Holland, especially in the seven- 
teenth century. Only the most obscure information is available 

296 



THE DUTCH BELTED 



297 



regarding the origin and dev- elopment of this breed, it being almost 
unmentioned in extensive literature on the breeds of cattle. 

The introduction of Dutch Belted cattle to America dates back 
to 1838, when D. H. Haight of Goshen, New York, made the 
first importation, followed by a second in 1848. P. T. Barnum, 




I'lG. 134. A Dutch Uclted cow owned by F. R. Sanders, Laconia, New 
Hampshire. Photograph by the author 



the famous showman, and R. W. Coleman also made importations. 
The early development of this breed was largely in southern 
New York in Orange County. No Dutch Belted cattle have 
been brought to this country for at least fifty years. 

Characteristics of Dutch Belted cattle. In size they are some- 
what smaller than the Holstein-Friesian, being more comparable 
with the Ayrshire. Mr. G. G. Gibbs, a New Jersey breeder, states 
that the cows weigh from 900 to 1250 pounds, while a number 
of bulls have e.xceededa ton in weight. The bull Duke of Ralph 
255 when three years old weighed 1200 pounds; Edward the 
Great I, 2000 pounds ; and Duke of Goshen 27, also 2000 pounds. 
A weight of 1500 pounds or so should prevail with the bulls. 
The cow Lady Aldine 124, a well-known prize winner, weighed 
1200 pounds. In color the cattle are invariably black, with a 



298 CATTLE 

wliite band of varying width about the body, in front of the hips, 
rarely reaching the shoulders. Sometimes this band narrows to 
even a foot in width or less, and again other specimens have it as 
a wide blanket. The fore part of the udder of the cow is also often 
white. In itddcr conformation and development these cows are 
rather inferior, the size being comparatively small, the fore udder 
abbreviated, and the teats placed too closely together. 

The dairy importance of Dutch Belted cattle is its principal 
value, aside from the ornamental. There is but little on record 
concerning the merits of the breed as a whole, although external 
indications would not justify high praise. Alvord states that the 
cow Lady Aldine 124 produced as high as 32 quarts of milk a day 
on grass alone. Lady Baird 82 was credited with a similar pri- 
vate record in 1893 at the World's Columbian Exposition. J. A. 
Holbert of New York reports a herd of from 25 to 30 cows and 
heifers averaging per year from 8305 to 9018 pounds of milk for 
the herd. The only test of this breed which has been reported to 
the public was in the Pan-American Model Dairy test in 190 1, 
in which ten breeds participated. In this trial the five Dutch 
Belted cows made the following record in 120 days : 

Yield of milk .... 24,893.5 lb. . . breed rank, eiglith 

Churned butter . . . 977-1 lb. . . breed rank, tenth 

Net profit on butter . . $111.96 . . breed rank, tenth 

Total solids .... 3066.47 lb. . . breed rank, ninth 

Value solids .... $275.98 . . breed rank, ninth 

This record is not especially complimentary to the breed. 

The Dutch Belted as beef producers can hardly be regarded as 
superior to the dairy breeds, and no doubt will not compare 
favorably with the Holstein-Friesian. They lack the size of the 
latter and do not show the tendency to produce flesh so charac- 
teristic of some Holstein-Friesians. Owing to the comparative 
scarcity of the Dutch Belted, one finds almost no steers of the 
breed on the market. 

The general adaptability of the Dutch Belted is quite com- 
parable with the Dutch type, bred to thrive on abundant food 
under rather favorable conditions. One of the best-known herds 
in America is kept in New Hampshire, in a rough, mountainous 
section where the winters are severe and long. The fertile 



THE DUTCH BELTED 299 

meadows of the Mississippi Valley, however, will provide more 
favorable conditions for the best development of the breed. 

Dutch Belted cross-breds or grades inherit the striking char- 
acteristics of the pure-bred sire. Says one breeder : 

Crossed on cattle of any solid color they almost invariably produce the 
belt, though if the dam be a Devon the calf may be red at the ends ; or if 
the dam is a Shorthorn, the calf may be red or roan. But the belt of the 
pure white is there, nevertheless. 

An interesting example of this intensity of Dutch Belted pre- 
potency took place in the herd of the Ohio State University. 
A cow of this breed, to the service of a pure-bred Jersey bull, 
dropped a cross-bred calf, with a white blanket about the body, 
quite similar to that of the dam, excepting for one small black 
spot on the white covering. 

The distribution of Dutch Belted cattle is very restricted. They 
occur in only a small way in Holland and in the United States, 
Canada, and Mexico. The largest herds are found in New 
York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and 
Mississippi, but there are other herds even as far as California. 

The promotion of the Dutch Belted breed is supervised by the 
Dutch Belted Cattle Association of America, organized Feb- 
ruary 4, 1886, in New York City. Volume I of the herdbook 
was published the same year, containing the registration of 46 
males and 177 females, mainly owned in New York, with others 
scattered throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, 
Illinois, and South Carolina. The last volume of the herdbook, 
numbered VH, was published in 1903. 



CHAPTER XXXIX 

THE FRENCH CANADIAN 

The native home of French Canadian cattle is in the province 
of Ouebec, Canada. The country is somewhat unckilating and 
rough, though not mountainous, and excellent crops of grass, oats, 
barley, potatoes, and roots are grown. The winters are rather 
long and cold, with much snow, the summers short and cool. 

The origin of the French Canadian breed is claimed to be from 
stock brought from France to Ouebec by the early settlers, prior 
to 1665. No definite information is on record as to just where 
these cattle came from in France, but it is presumed that they 
came from Brittany and perhaps Normandy. For two hundred 
years or more their descendants have been bred in Ouebec 
without essential admixture of other blood. 

Characteristics of French Canadian cattle. In type there is 
considerable resemblance to the Channel Island breeds, especially 
the Jersey. The color is solid black, or black with a yellow fawn 
stripe along the back and around the muzzle, brown brindle, or 
brown with black points. The black type of males is preferred. 
The Jiorns are generally curved outward and then in, with the 
tips turned toward each other. The color of horn is white with 
black tip. In size the mature female weighs from 700 to 800 
pounds, and the bull about looo. They often, however, weigh 
less than this. In general coiifonnation one is impressed with 
a certain roughness and angularity of form, after the more 
angular Jersey type. In quality they show a mellow hide, and a 
rich yellow skin, notable for its high orange-yellow color within 
the ear and about the udder. A fine silky coat of hair is an 
important indication of quality. " The chief points of these 
cattle," says C. N. Lepter of Ouebec, "from a dairyman's point 
of view, are that they have large udders and teats placed far 
apart and pointing in front." 



THE FRENCH CANADIAN 301 

The milk-producing quality of the French Canadian is its special 
recommendation. The only notable public test in which the 
breed has taken a part was that of the Pan-American Model 
Dairy. In this case the competition gave the breed a medium 
record among the ten tried. In production of milk during six 
months the five cows produced 24,656.4 pounds, which yielded 
1179.65 pounds of churned butter valued at $294.91, giving a 
net profit of $181.81. In cost of butter per pound the French 
Canadian ranked third at 9.76 cents, the Guernseys being first 
at 9.31, and the Jerseys second at 9.48 cents. The best net 
profit made by a cow of this breed in the fat test, among the fifty 
cows of all breeds, was $40.63 for Denise Championne, twenty- 
first in the test. Rouen, another cow of the breed, ranked next 
to Denise Championne, the difference between these two being 
very nominal. Mr. J. A. Couture of Quebec, writing regarding 
the dairy capacity of this breed, states that the cow Pruniere 
17 12, the property of the Hospital du Sacre-Coeur, Quebec, dur- 
ing 318 days produced 11,310 pounds of milk, a daily average 
of over 35 pounds. This cow weighed about 675 pounds. The 
cow Azilza de Levis 956 is said to have produced 8000 pounds a 
year. An average yield of 5000 pounds is regarded as a stand- 
ard. The quality of French Canadian milk in butter fat is good, 
but not equal to that of the Jersey or Guernsey. In the Pan- 
American trials the milk of this breed averaged 4.04 per cent fat, 
the same as the Red Polled, compared with 4.68 for the Guernsey, 
4.75 for the Polled Jersey, and 4.82 for the horned Jersey. 

The hardy character of the French Canadian cattle is one of their 
strong features. They have vigorous constitutions, well adapted 
to the rigors of a Canadian winter, and capable of making good 
return at the pail with a most economical expenditure of food, thriv- 
ing, it is said, where other cattle would starve. The claim has been 
made by Canadian breeders that cattle of this breed are not af- 
fected with tuberculosis as commonly as other cattle. They should 
be suited to the more northern section of the United States. 

The grazing qualities of French Canadians rank very high, and 
the cows are said to yield large returns of milk on pasture alone. 
On poor pastures or hill farms they are better suited to thrive 
than the largrer breeds. 



302 



CAITLE 



The breeding qualities of French Canadians also rank well. 
This would naturally be the case, due to the hardy, exposed 
lives they so often lead. 

The early maturing qualities of the French Canadian are 
secondary. This is largely due to the limited food and rigorous 
conditions of keeping. More abundant food and better care 
would improve the breed in this respect. 

The distribution of French Canadian cattle is mainly restricted 
to Quebec, where it is the principal breed in some twenty-five 
counties. Registered cattle are most bred in the counties of 
Berthier, Joliette, Drummond, Kamouraska, and LTslet. They 
are also found in a small way in the United States, in northern 
New York State. 

The promotion of pure French Canadian cattle has been assisted 
by the legislature of Quebec and a breeding association. About 
1886 the legislature adopted rules for the registration of foun- 
dation animals, and until 1895 a herdbook was maintained. 
Animals of correct form and acceptably pure descent were 
eligible to registration. In 1895 the French Canadian Cattle 
Breeders' Association was organized, and in September of that 
year assumed the control of all herdbook records. 



CHAPTER XL 

THE KERRY 

The native home of Kerry cattle is in western Ireland among 
the Kerry mountains. The country is rough and the soil poor. 
The climate is moist and fairly temperate. 

The origin of the Kerry is as uncertain as that of other British 
breeds. From time immemorial it has been bred in Ireland, 
where it is known as the "poor man's cow." The opinion of 
British students is that this is a descendant from the smaller 
type of aboriginal cattle of that country, of the same character 
as the dark-colored cattle of Britain. Nothing more is known. 
The development of the breed has mainly rested with the Irish 
farmers or tenants, who keep but small herds. 

Characteristics of the Kerry. There are two types of Kerry 
cattle, — the "true Kerry," which is usually black, and a smaller 
type known as the " Dexter-Kerry." 

The true Kerry is a small breed of dairy cattle. The color is 
black, though red sometimes occurs. White may occur about the 
udder or scrotum, but is not desirable. The lean head carries 
upstanding slender white horns with black tips. With cows the 
neck is slender and long, the body of moderate proportions, the 
legs fine and long, and the udder large with medium-sized teats. 
In size this is one of the small breeds ; the cows often weigh 
from 500 to 600 pounds, and frequently do not exceed 40 inches 
high. The bulls are larger, weighing 800 to 1000 pounds. 

The Dexter-Kerry is of unknown cross. Some authorities 
think that a Mr. Dexter nearly a century ago developed the breed 
by crossing Kerries on other stock. Some others regard it as 
a result of selection. This type is more blocky, shorter legged, 
heavier of head and neck, and more beefy in type than the true 
Kerry, and, as seen by the author, much smaller. The color 
also is variable, being black, red, or roan. There are wider 

303 



304 



CATTLE 



variations among the Dexter-Kerry brancli than in the true 
Kerry. In each case the udder is unusually well developed, 
showing large capacity in proportion to size of body. 

The size of the Kerry is small, the Dexter being the smallest 
of any British breed. The following are given as measurements 
of a celebrated Kerry bull, Busaco, shown as a two-year-old at 
the Paris Exposition in 1878: height at withers, 34 inches; 
length from withers to tail end, 38 inches ; heart girth, 50 
inches. In 1900 the Dexter-Kerry bull La Mancha Union 
Jack was shown at the Royal Agricultural Society Show of 
England at York. He was a two-year-old, red in color, stood 



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Fig. 135. A pair of Kerry cows .shown at llie Royal Agricultural Society 
Show at Manchester, England, in 1897. Photograph by the author 

about 36 inches high, and weighed about 400 pounds as esti- 
mated by the author. As champion of the breed and a famous 
prize winner he attracted much attention, a special inspection 
being made by the Prince of Wales, now Edward VII. The cele- 
brated Dexter-Kerry show cow Red Rose weighed 762 pounds. 
The Kerry as a milk producer ranks high. The cow Red 
Rose, already referred to, yielded in one year nearly 10,000 
pounds of milk. Messrs. William and James Macdonald, in 
reporting on the Kerry cattle shown at the 1878 Paris Expo- 
sition, state that twelve quarts of milk daily during the season, 
and from six to seven pounds of butter a week are the esti- 
mated yields of a Kerry cow, and that cows have been known 
to give sixteen quarts every day for some time after calving. 
The quality of the milk is also superior, being rich in fat. 



THE KERRY 



305 




Fig. 136. La Mancha Union Jack 37, a noted 
Dexter-Kerry bull, two years old, standing 
about 36 inches high, that was champion 
at the Royal Agricultural Society Show at 
York, England, in 1900. Photograph by 
the author 



The Kerry as a beef producer may rank high as to qiiaHty, but 

low as to quantity. The general evidence in behalf of the breed, 

notably the Dexter, is that 

the beef is of superior 

quality, and that the steers 

dress out remarkably well. 

The true Kerry, however, 

being of the dairy type, 

produces a class of beef 

of minor importance at 

best. A few steers of the 

breed are usually shown at 

the Smithfield Club Show 

in London each year, com- 
ing in a special class for 

small cross-breds. At the 

1 90 1 Birmingham Fat 

Stock Show the first- 
prize Kerry weighed 840 pounds at eighteen months old. 
The grazing value of the Kerry is very high. This breed has 

been developed under adverse food conditions, and thrives on com- 
paratively poor rations. It well 
serves the purpose of furnishing 
the poor Irish laborer a maximum 
of return for a minimum of ex- 
penditure. 

The hardy character of the 
Kerry is famous wherever the 
breed is known. During the en- 
tire year it is necessary for the 
Irish cotter's cow to adapt herself 
to conditions of privation, includ- 
ing the inclemency of winter. 

The maturing characteristics 
of the Kerry are of an inferior 
order. As bred in Ireland Kerries 

grow slowly, the cows producing the first calf considerably later 

than with other breeds. Dr. Miles states that in Ireland heifers 




Fig. 137. A Dexlcr-Kcny cow at the 
Royal Agricultural College, Ciren- 
cester, England. Photograph by 
the author 



3o6 CATTLE 

do not breed until six or seven years old, due to a scanty supply 
of coarse food and slow growth, while in Massachusetts, under 
more favorable conditions, they breed in three years. 

The Kerry in cross-breeding has attracted considerable atten- 
tion. Shorthorn bulls have been extensively used on Kerries 
in Ireland, to the material welfare of the country. James Mac- 
donald, editor of the Farmers Gazette, Dublin, writing in the 
Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society, says : 

A good many Kerries are brought in, and from these and Shorthorn bulls 
stock of wonderful size and quality are bred. Indeed, I have seen steers at 
Carton, crosses between small Kerry cows and Shorthorn bulls, which in shape 
and size showed but little inferiority to highly graded Shorthorns. 

According to British authors Aberdeen Angus and Hereford 
bulls on Kerry cows have also produced very excellent steers. 
The Kerry male cannot be used to so good advantage in cross- 
ing on the beef breeds. 

The distribution of the Kerry is not general. Even in Ire- 
land, where it is commonly bred, the Shorthorn is the leading 
breed. It has been taken up as a fad by the English nobility, 
and small herds are found in various parts of England, kept 
rather for fancy purposes. A few Kerries have been exported 
to Australia, South Africa, Canada, and the United States. 
A small herd is kept by Mr. G. M. Carnochan of New York 
City, who imported and exhibited a bull and four females at 
the Louisiana Purchase Ex])osition at St. Louis in 1904. The 
Honorable Whitelaw Reid of New York for some years has also 
kept a small herd of Kerries. Years ago a few were taken to New 
iMigland. A few cattle of the breed are also kept in Illinois. 

A Kerry cattle organization has been in existence for several 
years in Ireland. In 1887 a register was started by the owners 
of the Farmers Gazette in Dublin, which soon after was turned 
over to the Royal Dublin Society, which issued the first vol- 
ume of the Kerry and Dexter Herdbook in 1890. In 1892 a 
Kerry and Dexter-Kerry Cattle Society was formed, which 
now attends to registration and herdbook publication. 



CHAPTER XLI 

DUAL-PURPOSE TYPE OF CATTLE 

Dual-purpose and general-purpose type of cattle mean the same 
thing". This comes in between the beef and dairy type, combin- 
ing in one animal the vakiable qualities of meat and dairy types. 
This class has been under special discussion for some years, and 
strong arguments have been advanced in its behalf. It is not 
proposed to go into a detailed discussion of this type, — it is 
not necessary, — but rather to emphasize the essential features. 

The dual-purpose and the beef type compared show certain 
marked differences. The dual-purpose animal lacks the width 
and smoothness of the beef type, carries less flesh, shows more 
neck, narrower withers, and more length of leg. There is more 
general length of body. With the cows the udder is most essen- 
tial in true specimens of the dual-purpose type, milk production 
being important. 

The dual-purpose and dairy type compared show the former 
to be fuller in the bosom, more massiv^e, broader backed, thicker 
at withers, smoother of shoulder, thicker and heavier at hind 
quarter and twist, and tending to shortness of leg. The form 
is generally smoother and much less angular, and carries more 
flesh. When in high milk flow dual-purpose cows often lose flesh 
and incline to the dairy conformation, but on drying off they 
flesh up to a notable degree. 

Two classes of dual-purpose cattle are common, one rather 
beefy in character, with small udders, the other with strong 
dairy-type indications. Every large show of dual-purpose breeds 
contains good representatives of these two classes. For exam- 
ple, the Devon, a dual-purpose breed, contains the two classes 
in a marked degree. The dairy sort is more popular in the east- 
ern states, the beef in the West. The same applies to a certain 
extent also to the Red Polled breed, though perhaps not to so 

307 



3o8 CATTLE 

great a degree as with the Devon. In the Shorthorn breed we 
have the most approved beef type of cattle, while a dual-purpose 
type of this breed, with strong dairy tendencies, is very common 
in luigland and not rare in America. By combining beef and 
milk in a really noteworthy degree the dual purpose is secured. 
Minus the one or the other, the animal logically must be classed 
with the beef or dairy type. 

The demand for dual-purpose cattle is extremely widespread 
in this country. Many farmers greatly prefer a type of cow that 
will produce a liberal supply of milk, that will fatten easily to 
meet the demands of the butcher, and will also produce calves 
that will feed into superior veals or steers. In regions where 
dairying is not a specialty the dual-purpose type is quite com- 
monly seen in the Shorthorn of milking strain. Notwithstanding 
the frequency with which cattle of this type are seen, there 
are comparatively few animals of the dual-purpose breeds to be 
found in America. Our farmers do not seem to want to pay the 
price necessary to obtain the pure-breds of merit. 

The relationship of size to dual-purpose type is a minor con- 
sideration. It has been stated that dual-purpose cattle average 
larger than dairy cattle. This is not necessarily so. The Dexter- 
Kerry breed belongs to the dual-purpose type, and is one of the 
smallest breeds known. One Dexter-Kerry cow photographed 
by the writer probably did not stand much over forty-four inches 
high. She was smooth all over, distinctly beefy, with a very 
large udder. 



CHAPTER XLII 

THE RED POLLED 

The native home of Red Polled cattle is in England, in 
the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, which border the North 
Sea and comprise the most easterly part of England. The coun- 
try is rolling, with some marshlands, and furnishes good grazing 
and live-stock conditions, although parts of Norfolk have poor, 
thin land. The climate is fairly temperate and moist, character- 
istic of Ii^ngland. 

The origin of Red Polled cattle is differently interpreted by 
live-stock writers. Culley thought them descended from the Gal- 
loway type, and was the first to suggest this source, although 
the two breeds materially differ. Others have attributed the 
ancestry to the wild white polled sort. Mr. Euren, the organ- 
izer of Red Polled interests abroad, has suggested that the 
breed was derived from the polled cattle of southern Europe, as, 
for example, Hungary or central Russia where cattle possessed 
the soft satiny skin of the Red Polled, rather than from the Gal- 
loway with its heavy, long coat and thicker hide. The fact is, 
the breed has developed, like other British breeds, from material 
which passes beyond historical record. We do know, however, 
that the present-day Red Polled breed consists of an amalgama- 
tion of the following two types or varieties. 

I. Suffolk Red Polled. The county of Suffolk lies just south 
of Norfolk. The northeast part of this, sometimes designated 
as East Anglia, was settled in the fifth century by Scandina- 
vians, and it is stated that they brought with them cattle. In 
this section of Suffolk, only twelve by twenty miles, and later 
in the entire county as well as in Norfolk, developed a polled 
breed that became famous for milk production. In 1734 John 
Kirby, in the Suffolk Traveller, wrote of the butter produced in 
this district as "the best and pleasantest in England." These 

309 



3IO CATTLE 

cattle were small, naturally thin of flesh, and were either red, 
hriiullccl, or dun colored and always polled. Arthur Young in 
1794, in a general survey of the agriculture of Suffolk, describes 
the breed at some length. He stated that for two or three 
months a whole herd would average five gallons of milk a day 
per head, and single animals have produced eight gallons in a 
day. From 1778 on, numerous advertisements of auction sales 
of this dairy stock were published in the Norwich (Norfolk) 
Mercury. In 1802 a herd of "twenty-one beautiful polled cows 
and a bull " was advertised. 

2. Norfolk Red Polled. In Norfolk County early writers 
referred to a type of cattle, blood-red in color, with a white or 
mottled face, having horns, small of bone, " fattening as freely 
and finishing as highly at three years old as cattle do generally 
at four or five," says Marshall, who regarded the Norfolk Red 
Polled as a miniature Hereford in appearance. These possessed 
poor dairy qualities, so Jonas Reeve of Wigton and Richard 
iMigland of Binham began to improve and secure a type com- 
bining the good cjualities of the Suffolk as well as the Norfolk. 
A Mr. George also took part in this improvement. They bred 
to produce a solid red color, perhaps using the Devon, which 
existed in the county, bred off the horns, no doubt with the help 
of Suffolk bulls, and so developed a dual-purpose type which 
attained considerable fame. In 18 18 the name Norfolk Polled 
began to come into use. 

The amalgamation of Suffolk and Norfolk Red Polled cattle 
was the result of gradually developing the two breeds into a 
common type. Each was improved with the view of securing 
an easy-keeping, hornless, red-colored, dual-purpose animal. The 
types of each county were shown for a time at the local fairs, but 
they gradually came to be of the same general character. The year 
1846, according to Mr. Euren, the secretary of the Red Polled 
Cattle Association in England, may be taken as the date from 
which the Norfolk and Suffolk varieties merged into each other, 
so as to be spoken of as one and the same breed. Finally, in 
1862, an international exi:iosition was held at Battersea, when a 
large exhibit was made in one class from both Norfolk and Suf- 
folk. It was then that the improved form in each county was 



THE RED POLLED 



311 



recognized as of the same kind, and given the name Norfolk 
and Suffolk Red Polled. About 1882 this was shortened to 
Red Polled, by which name the breed is now recognized. 

Groups and tribes of Red Polled cattle gradually developed 
from the various lines of breeding. The first volume of the 
hcrdbook classes the united breed into twenty-five groups of 
foundation stock, each indicated by a letter of the alphabet, as 
A, B, C, etc., and these including numerous tribes or families. 




Fig. 138. Deniuii 34J 1 (A 1 ), unc of the gieatust Red I'ullijd bulls in AniciiLun 
show-yard history. Bred by J. W. Martin of Wisconsin, he was shown 
by Andrew Bros, of Ohio from 1898 to 1904 at the leading shows of the 
country. Twice champion of the breed at the International Live Stock 
Exposition, Chicago, and repeatedly grand champion Red Polled bull 
at leading state fairs. Owned by the Ohio State University. Photo- 
graph by the author 

The first volume gave 233 tribes, and later these increased to 
385, but at present only about 200 tribes are represented in 
the registration. While the group will remain the same in letter 
the tribes naturally vary in number. The method has an advan- 
tage in studying pedigrees, for with it the group and tribe 
relationship is shown. The groups made up certain foundation 
herds. For example, the A group comprises the cows in the 
Elmham herd, or owned by tenants of the estate of that name ; 
the B group, the cows in the Biddell herds and others in the 



312 CATTLE 

vicinity, etc. Thus Ai refers to a foundation cow in the VAm- 
ham herd named Primrose; Bio to a cow in the Manfred 
Biddell herd named Bury, etc. Differing from other cattle asso- 
ciations, the registration number of the cow precedes the name, 
as 421 Primrose Ai, while the number of the bull follows his 
name in the customary manner. None of the above groups 
trace far back of the first volume of the herdbook, some being 
comparatively recent. 

The introduction of Red Polled cattle to America no doubt 
first occurred in colonial times in English settlements, as, for 
example, in Virginia. Mulley or polled cattle of a red or red and 
white color, similar to Red Polled, have been known in the east- 
ern United States for over a century. In 1847 a Suffolk polled 
heifer was presented to the captain of the vessel Jamestown, 
that took provisions to Ireland to relieve famine, and she was 
brought to Massachusetts. From her descended a line of stock, 
termed Jamestown cattle in Massachusetts, that produced polled 
animals of superior character. In 1873 G. F. Taber of Patter- 
son, New York, made the first importation of breeding Red Polled 
cattle to this country, consisting of a bull and three heifers, and 
later in 1875 four more cows, and again in 1882 three bulls 
and twenty-three heifers. Also in 1882 Mead & Kimball of \'er- 
mont brought over a bull and eleven females, and in 1883 G. P. 
Squires of New York and Geldard & Busk, an English firm, made 
importations. In 1886 J. McLain Smith of Ohio made his first 
importation, and until his death in 1905 he was a prominent 
advocate of the breed. Captain V. T. Hills, also of Ohio, a 
leading American authority on the breed, imported in 1887. 

Red Polled characteristics. Animals of this breed present the 
dual-purpose type in its truest form, for good specimens yield 
milk liberally and fatten satisfactorily on drying off, producing 
a good grade of beef. The head is lean in type, and presents 
the characteristic poll. The neck of both bull and cow lacks 
the fullness of the beef breeds, the cows being notably thinner 
in this respect. The ivitJiers arc only moderately broad, and 
the shoulders resemble those of the Shorthorn rather than the 
Hereford. The body is usually very well ribbed and the back 
strong, but is not iieshed over in a prominent degree. The ]iips 



THE RED POELED 



313 



or Jiooks lack prominence and so smooth over easily in fatten- 
ing. The hind quarter presents the thinner beef form, as shown 
in the leaner rump, thinner thigh, and shallower twist. The 
udder tends to be of the pendent sort, the fore part being 
frequently deficient, while large teats are common ; in fact, the 
writer has seen larger teats with Red Polled cattle than with any 
other breed. The udders do not often show a meaty character, 
but are mellow and elastic in quality. P^air milk veins and wells 




Fig. 139. Patriarch 6482, a Red Polled bull, bred by Captain V. T. Hills, 
Delaware, Ohio. At three years of age this bull weighed 2460 pounds. 
Photograph by the author 

obtain ; in fact, Arthur Young commented, over a century ago, 
on the large size of the Suffolk cow's milk veins, and some of 
this inheritance still exists. The quality of the breed may be 
classed as fair, not generally surpassing other breeds. The color 
varies from light to dark. red, a medium shade being most com- 
mon. A little white on the udder or belly, with white brush of 
tail, is permissible, but solid red is and long has been preferred. 
In size this breed is about medium, although large specimens 
naturally occur, and some breeders prefer as large a type as 
they can produce. In temperament Red Polled cattle are more 



314 CATTLE 

nervous than Shorthorns, but are not enough so to offer any 
important objection to the breed. 

The weight of Red Polled cattle is medium, not equaling the 
heavy beef breeds, aUhough heavy specimens occur. For exam- 
ple, the bull Patriarch 6482 U43 weighed at full maturity as 
high as 2600 pounds. The show bull Demon 5421 Ai, owned 
by the Ohio State University, weighed 2100 pounds in his best 
form. Pando 1254, 1 13, the well-known bull imported by Cap- 
tain V. T. Hills of Ohio, weighed, when five years old, 2270 
pounds. Wild Roy 1105, Vi, also imported by Captain Hills, 
at five years weighed 2480 pounds. A range of from 1800 to 
2200 pounds will apply to typical mature males of the breed. 
Cows weigh from iioo to 1600 pounds, or even more, 1250 to 
1 300 being a fair average. 

Red Polled cattle as beef producers hold very good rank. 
While as a rule they do not win the highest honors in open 
competition in the great beef show rings, they feed to a point 
of profitable production for the stockman, and make a very good 
class of beef for the consumer. This beef is not usually so fat 
as that produced by some breeds, the outside of the frame not 
being so heavily covered. Red Polled steers also tend to be 
somewhat long of leg. Numerous cases may be cited to show 
that the steers gain rapidly and show well. At the 1889 Smith- 
field Club Show two Red Polled two-year-old steers showed 
the largest daily gain of anything on exhibition of that class, 
viz. 2.18 and 2.29 pounds each. One of these afterwards was 
made champion as the best steer on exhibition at the Norfolk 
P"at Stock Show. At the Smithfield show in 1890 a Red Polled 
steer dressed 73.72 per cent, the highest per cent dressed out 
at the show. In 1899 the London and Norwich Red Polled 
breed cup winner at 32 months weighed 1708 pounds, showing 
a gain for the year of 452 pounds, or 35.98 per cent. The 
reserve for the breed cup was a heifer that at 863 days had a 
live weight of 1436 pounds. In 1900 the cup winner at both 
of the above shows was a heifer weighing 1578 pounds at 33} 
months. At the International Live Stock Exposition at Chi- 
cago in 1904 the Red Polled steer Pompy, in the two-year-old 
class, weighed 1680 pounds alive, and showed a dressed weight 



THE RED POLLED 



315 



in the slaughter test of 1005 pounds, dressing 64.0 per cent. 
Red Polled steers in good flesh on the open market are quite 
sure to make a creditable showing and bring a fair price. 

Red Polled cattle as milk producers have long held high rank, 
and a large number of records might be cited to show the value 
of the breed in the dairy. In public tests the breed has stood 
well. At the Pan-American dairy test in 1901 five Red Polled 
cows took fifth rank among ten breeds, showing a net profit of 
$201.61 for six months. Among the 50 cows tested, the cow 




Fig. 140. 10097 Chloe(Ti),second-prize Red Polled cow in general i,la.-.-~ ,u.J In 
farmer's cow class at the International Live Stock E.xposition, 1903. Official 
test for 330 days 7924 pounds milk and 336.58 pounds butter fat. Owned 
by the late J. McLain Smith, Dayton, Ohio. Photograph by the author 

8025 Mayflower 2d, A 12, stood second, producing 616 1 pounds 
milk and 323 pounds estimated butter, showing a net profit in the 
fat test of $52.10. Many cows of the breed will produce 5000 
pounds of milk a year. The following table shows the yearly aver- 
age yields of the herd of Lord Rothschild at Tring Park, England, 
as giving an example of what a superior herd can accomplish. 



Year 


Number Weeks 


Number Cows 


Average Yield Milk 


I 898-1 899 
1899-1900 
I 900- 190 I 


53 

52 
52 


36 
34 
43 


7033.45 lb. 
6520.00 " 
6895.76 " 



3i6 CAITLK 

In 1903 fifteen herds contributed records of their daily milk yield 
to the English Red Polled Society Herdbook. Of 267 cows which 
had produced in the year, having had their second calf or more, 
194 gave a total yield for the year of 5000 pounds and over. 
Thirteen of these gave 9000 pounds and over, the best record 
being 10,392 pounds. The cow 2965 Mayflower, A 12, in the 
herd of V. T. Hills of Ohio, produced from July 18, 1892, to 
July 10, 1893, a total of 11,008 pounds of milk ; while for four 
years, from August i, 1890, to July 31, 1894. she produced 
43,1 i8i pounds of milk, or a daily average of about 25 pounds. 
The London Live Stoek Journal in 1898 published the milk 
record of a Red Polled cow of 13,126 pounds in 347 days, an 
average of 37.82 pounds daily. This same journal also reports on 
the Red Polled cow Hester that from October, 1890, to October, 
1904, produced the remarkable yield of 84,177 pounds of milk, 
an average yield for fourteen years of 6012 pounds per year. 
This was also a very successful show cow in England. 

Red Polled cattle as butter producers stand very well. Their 
milk tests about 3.8 per cent fat, although many cases show even 
better. The average of Mayflower for four years by Babcock 
test is 4.35 per cent butter fat. At the Pan-American Exposition 
the five Red Polled cows produced in six months 1319.45 pounds 
churned butter valued at $329.86, with Mayflower 2d second in 
the butter-fat test. In this test the average butter-fat content was 
3.98 per cent. Professor Curtiss of the Iowa Agricultural College 
has stated that a number of Red Polled cows in the college herd 
were producing from 300 to 400 pounds of butter per year. In 
1904 a cow in the herd of the Ohio State University was milked 
348 days and produced 8777 pounds of milk, which by Babcock 
test showed 379 pounds butter fat, equal to about 440 pounds 
commercial butter. 

The use of the Red Polled cattle in crossing or grading may be 
beneficial from either the beef or dairy point of view. Red Polled 
bulls used on the beef type should increase the milk-producing 
character of the descendants, but may lower the meat standard 
somewhat. Used on the dairy breeds, the beef character should 
be improved in the offspring, but whether the dairy qualities will 
be benefited will depend on the kind of dam used, better results 



THK RED POLLED 317 

coming where a small milker is mated rather than a large pro- 
ducer. Red Polled cattle are very prepotent, and will transmit 
their red color and polled heads with much uniformity when used 
on other breeds or grades. 

The deficiencies of the Red Polled cattle are not serious, but 
they exist. The udder, with all its capacity, is too irregular in 
type, often being deficient in front, and with abnormally large 




Fig. 141. 2965 Mayflower (a 12), a Rea Polled cow of dairy type, noted as the 
founder of the Mayflower family. This cow gave 1 1,008 pounds of milk from 
July 18, 1892, to July 10, 1893, and 43,118} pounds of milk in four years 
from July i, 1890, to July 31, 1894. Owned by Captain V. T. Hills, Dela- 
ware, Ohio. Photograph from Captain Hills 

teats, too large to be comfortably grasped in the hands. Com- 
parison of the form of udder on cows of this breed with that of 
the Ayrshire shows it to be distinctly inferior. The Red Polled 
breed also lacks uniformity of type, some persons selecting along 
beef lines and others along dairy lines. This is a general difficulty 
existing, however, among dual-purpose breeds, and is rather due 
to the variations in the standards of the breeders. There is a 
constant tendency to produce either for beef or for dairy purposes. 



3i8 



CATTLE 



The distribution of Red Polled cattle is widespread, yet the 
breed cannot be regarded as common. In Britain it is mainly 
bred in Norfolk and Suffolk counties, although large herds exist 
elsewhere, and considerable milk is shipped to London from 
Red Polled herds. Specimens of the breed have been exported 
from England to Russia, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, 
Canada, and the United States. In the United States it is 
pretty well distributed, mainly in the Mississippi Valley and as 
far south as Texas. The more prominent herds are found in 
Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa. The breed is fairly well 
adapted to a wide range of climate, comparable perhaps with 
temperate latitudes. 

Organizations to promote Red Polled cattle interests exist in 
England and the United States. Through the efforts of Mr. 
Henry F. Euren, a herdbook was published in England in 1874, 
and this work he continued until 1888 when the Red Polled 
Society of England was organized. The American Red Polled 
Cattle Club was organized in 1883 at Chicago. In 1887 the 
first American herdbook appeared. This contained also the 
registrations in the first six volumes of the English society. 
Since that period, up to 1901 inclusive, the American herdbook 
has also contained the registrations of the English book, thus 
including all Red Polled registrations in England and America. 
At present only American-owned animals are recorded in the 
American herdbook, which up to 1905 included 16 volumes and 
22,238 animals registered. 



CHAPTER XLIII 

THE DEVON 

The native home of the Devon breed of cattle is in southwestern 
I'^ngland in the counties of Devon and Somerset. Devon is 
washed by the sea on its north and south borders, while 
Somerset also borders the Bristol Channel on the north. The 
section contains much rough and hilly land, reaching a height of 
even 2000 feet, and is better suited to grazing than tillage, though 
the soil is fertile. In the southern part the climate is mild and 
balmy, being well suited to outdoor life for cattle the year round. 

The origin of the Devon is prehistoric. It has been assumed 
that the breed is descended from Bos longifrons, the smaller type 
of aboriginal cattle in Britain. The earliest English records show 
the prevalence of cattle in Devon of a color and type indicative 
of the modern breed. The early British writers on live stock 
testify to its ancient character. 

The early improvers of the Devon were Francis Ouartly and 
his brothers William and Henry, and John Tanner Davy and his 
brother William. Besides these J. T. Davy, above referred to, 
credits much to Merson and Michael Thorn of North Molton, Tapp 
and Buckinghain of Twitchen, Mogridge and Halses of Molland, 
and others, who maintained the high character of their herds 
when breeders generally, on account of high prices, were selling 
their best stock for slaughter and keeping poor cattle in reserve. 

Francis Quartly is generally conceded to have accomplished 
for the Devon what the CoUingsdid for the Shorthorn. He lived 
at Champson-in-Molland near South Molton, w^here his father in 
1776 began to breed Devons. The father died in 1793 and 
Francis at once began active work as a breeder on his own 
responsibility. The cattle of Devon were deteriorating for the 
reason already given. He recognized this, and not only refused 
to sell but sought out and purchased the choicest individuals 

319 



320 



CAITLE 



possible, thus developing the best herd of his time. From his 
herd, which was sold on his retirement in 1836, has descended 
the most distinguished Devon blood. William Ouartly also had 
a herd until 18 16, when he sold it to his eldest brother Henry, 
who continued breeding until his death in 1840. Neither Francis 
nor William were ever married, but Flenry was, and left two 
sons, James and John, who succeeded him. They also became 
great breeders, as did John's son, Henry, later on. The Ouartly 
family lived in North Devon, not far from Somerset County. 




Fig. 14J. riic J)l\i.]i luill Ji.kci, a luitcd \)\i/.v \\iiiii(_-i 111 1-ii,l;Liih.1. 
Photograph from L. P. Sisson 

John Tanner Davy was a son of John Davy, a Devon breeder, 
who was born about 1706 and died at Rose Ash, South Molton, 
North Devon, in 1790, leaving a choice herd to two sons, John T. 
and William. John produced a celebrated herd and won many 
prizes. Numerous celebrated Devons descend from his herd. 
He died in 1852 and was succeeded by his son. Colonel Davy, 
the founder of the Devon herdbook. This son, who died in 1887, 
aged fifty-nine, was during his prime the most distinguished stu- 
dent and promoter of Devons in England. He not only founded 
the herdbook but contributed much to Devon literature. 

The introduction of the Devon to America doubtless dates 
back to colonial times, and perhaps these were the first real 



THE DEVON 



321 



purc-brcd cattle to reach our shores. The port of Plymouth, from 
which the early colonists and the Mayflower sailed, is on the 
south shore of Devon, and the vessel CJiaiity which sailed in 
1623 is thought to have had Devon cattle on board. Devons were 
imported in 1800 to Massachusetts, and in 1805 General Eaton 
took some to Otsego County, New York. In 18 17 the first pure- 
bred registered Devons brought to the United States came over 
in the brig Margaretta and were landed at Baltimore. These were 



\ 

i 






\ 1 
1 

1 

i 


' ^ 


' . . I ^^^H 


i^ 


i, ■ \:-K- 


Ir 


" 




i^^W^'''^«»"'y!fc-j— «. ' ■ .-w 



Fig. 143. Nettle Top 129S9, grand champion Devon cow at the Lewis and 
Clark E.xposition, I'ortland, Oregon, 1905. Exhibited by L.V. McWhorter 
& Son, North Yakima, Washington. Photograph by the author 



a present from Mr. Coke (later Earl of Leicester), of Holkham, 
ICngland, to Robert Patterson of Baltimore, and consisted of six 
two-year-old heifers and a bull. These became foundation 
animals in the American Devon Record. Other importations 
were later made by the Patterson family, and most of the early 
American Devons are descended from the stock of this family. 
F'rom 1825 to 1850 and later many Devons were imported into 
the Atlantic coast states and into Canada, and the breed became 
very well known. 



322 



CA'l'JLE 



Characteristics of the Devon. The Devon is not easily con- 
founded with other breeds, owing to its individuality. The color 
is usually a bright red, for which they have been nicknamed 
"Rubies." The shade varies from light to dark. White is not 
admissible, excepting about the udder of the cow, or in front of 
the scrotum of the male, and not beyond the navel with either, 
nor outside of the flanks or elsewhere on the body. The hair about 
the eyes and muzzle should be of a creamy tint and the muzzle 
be fle-sh-colored. In addition to color as an identifying mark, 
the head, horns, and neck have distinctive breed attributes. The 
head is lean and cleanly made, and, with the female, is crowned 
by a pair of slender horns that are " long, spreading and grace- 
fully turned up, of a wa.\y color, tipped with a darker shade." 
The bull's horns grow at right angles from the head or are 
slightly elevated, are stout and waxy at the base, and are tipped 
with a darker shade. The neck shows a considerable refinement, 
with neat head and body attachment. The body of the Devon 
is medium in size, is blocky of form, and usually carries a well- 
sprung and deep rib with strong heart girth. The legs are small 
and show more refinement than is the case with some other breeds. 
In fact typical Devons have often been referred to as deerlike in 
character, owing to the natural refinement of the breed. 

Two types of Devons essentially exist. Those in north Devon 
have always been of the smaller form, and beef production has 
been emphasized with them. In south Devon, where the breed 
is known also as the South Devon or South Hams, the cattle 
average larger, are lighter colored, tend to be coarser, and are 
more productive of milk, due, it is said, to the blood of Guernsey 
cattle. These two types have been more or less intermingled, 
but the best breeders of to-day advocate adherence to type. Pro- 
fessor Robert Wallace in his w^ork on the Farm Live Stock of 
Great Britain gives a third, a special Somerset type, found in 
north Devon. These cattle are larger, have a more droopy horn, 
and are coarser than the north Devon type, due to the better 
soil and climate of Somerset. As exhibited in America, the breed 
shows at a distinct disadvantage, for in the same show ring the 
beefy type may and does compete with the dual-purpose type. 
Western breeders appear to favor the north Devon style, while 



THE DEVON 323 

eastern breeders lay emphasis on the dairy value of the breed, 
as docs, in fact, the Devon cattle association. 

The size of the Devon accordingly shows considerable variation. 
Naturally Devons are of the smaller class as seen in beef-cattle 
classes in America, and this is one objection that has been raised 
against the breed in this country, together with the fact that 
the steers will not fatten as rapidly as some of the other kinds. 
Mature cows, according to Sinclair, weigh from 1300 to 1500 
pounds and bulls from 1500 to 2100. 

The Devon as a butcher's beast does not attain the high weights 
of the common beef breeds, nor docs it fatten as rapidly as some, 
but kills out extremely well, with small bone and moderate offal, 
producing the best of beef, fine of grain and of superior quality. 
Devons in the past have made a good record at the British fat 
stock shows, often winning high honors. This applies in particu- 
lar to the beef type of north Devon. The modern breeders of 
that section agree that to increase the size will injure the quality, 
and therefore refuse to do so. Sinclair notes one English Devon 
breeder, whose specialty is steer breeding, who reckons that the 
weight of a fat Devon steer a little under three years old should 
be about 800 pounds. In 1891 the first-prize Devon steer at the 
Smithfield Club Show, London, "not exceeding two years old," 
was 558 days old and had a live weight of 964 pounds. 

Devons as milk producers rank very well. Many New England 
farmers keep Devon grades or pure-breds, from which they often 
secure fair yields. The milk is rich in fat, comparing favorably 
with that of the Jerseys. The breed is essentially unknown in 
competitive dairy tests in this country. In the American Devoft 
Record are numerous examples showing that many cows of the 
breed are ample dairy producers. E. C. Bliss states that his full- 
grown cows yield an average of 300 pounds of butter a year. 
J. W. Collins writes : "I have one cow, Lucky 3784, that has 
produced 2i pounds of butter per day for weeks, and I have 
frequently had others that have made 2\ to 2i- pounds per day." 
Wallace states that as a breed for milk production " it has 
been and still is inferior. The cows give but a small quantity 
of milk and tend to go dry early." Alvord, who knew the breed 
well, states that some families bred and selected for dairy 



324 



CATTLE 



purposes have made fair milk records, single animals producing 
40 and even 50 pounds a day. 

The Devon in crossing or grading has seen much service in the 
eastern United States. Owing to its long pure inheritance the 
breed characteristics are usually strongly transmitted. Devon bulls 
on grade cows will produce a superior class of beef and rich milk. 

The Devon as a grazing beast has always ranked high. In its 
native home many steers are grass fed and receive but little grain. 




Tig. 144. Fciii of Ilalsdeii, clianipion Devon cow at the Royal Agricultural 
Society of England Show, in 1904. This shows the beefy type of Devon. 
Photograph from \\'illiam Cooper & Nephews, Berkhamsled, England 



Devon oxen have long ranked very high. In New England and 
the eastern United States, when oxen were more extensively used 
than to-day, the Devon was a favorite sort. Years ago in New 
England one might have seen many fine yokes of grade Devon 
oxen, that were highly valued for intelligent and active draft 
service on the hill farms. No cattle are more light and active 
of foot for this purpose. 

The distribution of Devons is almost world-wide, although the 
breed is not nearly as popular to-day as it has been. There are 
some herds in England outside of the Devon district, mainly in 



THE DEVON 325 

the south section, in Ireland, the United States, Canada, New 
South \\ ales, Tasmania, New Zealand, Queensland, Mexico, the 
West Indies, and South Africa. Devons in a general way have 
been distributed all over the United States, but are not in large 
numbers in any state. Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and New 
luigland are the foremost sections in Devon breeding in America. 
The breed seems quite adaptable either to the rougher, grazing 
regions, or to the more fertile, low-lying countries. 

Organizations to promote Devon interests exist in England and 
America. The first Devon herdbook was published by Colonel 
Davy in 185 i, who subsequently published seven more volumes, 
the last in 1 88 1. About 1880 the Devon Cattle Breeders' Society 
was organized in England, and the herdbook publication was 
transferred to it about 1884 by Messrs. Hawkes and Risdon, who 
had purchased the rights from Colonel Davy in 1883. Some 
twenty-eight volumes of the Devon herdbook have been pub- 
lished since 185 i, registering over 5000 bulls and 20,000 cows. 
About 1890 the South Devon Herdbook Society was organized, 
publishing its first herdbook soon after in 1891, since which time 
eight volumes have been published up to 1905. In the United 
States an American Devon Herdbook W2i's, first published in 1863, 
four other volumes following, the last in 1879. The American 
Devon Record \v3.s first published in 1881 by James Bucking- 
ham of Zanesville, Ohio. Later this record became the official 
register of the American Devon Cattle Breeders' Association, 
and up to 1905 seven volumes were published, showing nearly 
13,000 animals recorded. 

The popularity of the Devon in America at the present time is 
very low. For a breed with such an old and creditable history 
it is a remarkable thing that it should have come to such a 
subordinate place among well-known breeds in America. But 
few Devons are seen at the fairs outside of New England, while 
at the large shows they are often unrepresented. At the Loui- 
siana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis in 1904, the greatest 
American cattle show in history, the Devon exhibit was repre- 
sented by two small herds, such as hardly produced a comment 
by the live-stock press. At the International Live Stock Expo- 
sition at Chicago the same year not one Devon was shown. 



CHAPTER XLIV 

THE BROWN SWISS 

Two distinct races of Swiss cattle are found in Switzerland, 
one known as the l^rown Schwyzcr, and the other the Simmcn- 
thal or spotted breed. The former comprises about two fifths of 
the cattle of that country, while the latter represents three fifths 
of the total. The former arc bred and imported to the United 
States, while the latter are not exported unless in so small a way 
as to be inccMispicuous. 

The native home of the Brown Swiss is Switzerland, where in 
winter they dwell in barns in the lowlands and valleys, while in 
summer they pasture, even to the uj)per grazing line of the Alps. 
They are distinctly a hardy mountain breed, and in general subsist 
on pasture or hay exclusively, grain being but very little used. 
These cattle are bred in their greatest purity in the central part 
of Switzerland in the cantons of Schwyz, Uri, and Zug, though 
the breed is generally found over the northern and eastern parts 
of the country. 

The origin of Brown Swiss cattle is probably prehistoric. 
Horns, skulls, and other bones have been found in the Swiss 
lake dwellings, which date back to the Bronze Age, that closely 
resemble those of the Brown Swiss of to-day. It is generally 
conceded that the breed is very ancient, and that it has long 
been bred with much purity and care by Swiss farmers. 

The introduction of Brown Swiss to the United States first 
occurred in 1869, when H. M. Clark of Belmont, Massachusetts, 
purchased of Colonel G. Biirgi of Arth, canton of Schwyz, seven 
heifers and one bull, which soon after their arrival were resold 
to D. G. Aldrich of Worcester, Massachusetts, and David Hall 
of Providence, Rhode Island. In 1882 Scott & Harris of Mas- 
sachusetts imported nine two-year-old heifers and a bull, and in 
1883 ten heifers. In 1883 William Thoch of New York and 

326 



THl': BROWN SWISS 



327 



Ridge and Eldrcdge of the same state made importations. The 
most important recent importation was that made in 1904 by 
McLaury Brothers of New York, who brought over a number of 
show cattle which they exhibited at various state fairs and at the 
Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis. The breed has never 
secured an im})ortant position in America since its introduction. 
The characteristics of the Brown Swiss. This is essentially a 
dual-purpose breed of very uniform and distinct breed character- 
istics. The color is a light or dark brown, that most esteemed 




Fig. 145. Upland Hobby 1488, grand-champion Brown Swiss bull at the 
Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904, and one of the most noted prize 
winners of the breed. Owned and exhibited by F. R. Hazard, Syracuse, 
New York. Photograph from the owner 



being a dark brown or mouse color, fading to gray along the 
backbone to the tail head, and sometimes also about the belly. 
There is also a mealy or creamy ring about the muzzle. The 
udder is usually white, the hoofs black, and the horns white 
in the lower part and very dark at the tips. The tongue and 
nose are very dark colored, approaching black. T\\q general form 
of Brown Swiss cattle is distinctly blocky, much more so in fact 
than other dual-purpose breeds, the points being full from breast 
to hind quarter, showing thi6kness and depth. The Jiead is 



328 CATTLE 

rather heavy, and combining as it does a sizable horn and a full- 
ness of the neck quite unknown with British breeds, impresses 
one as somewhat coarse. The neck is large and heavy in both 
sexes at all ages, the skin about the throatlatch and along the 
dewlap being strikingly abundant. The breast is broad and deep, 
and the shoulders rather heavy and prominent, not being set in 
deep. The body shows a great deal of feeding capacity with plenty 
of depth, but the back is frequently slack in front, and the fore 
ribs have scarcely enough spring for best conformation. The Jiind 
quarter is long, level, and broad at the rump, the thighs and 
twist incline to be distinctly beefy, and the legs are short and 
strong. The cows have large udders, frequently long, wide, 
and deep, with well-placed teats of convenient size. The viilk 
veins and wells average medium in size, comparing fairly with 
dairy breeds. The quality, from the standpoint of an American, 
averages rather below medium, as is very commonly seen in the 
thick, none too elastic, deep yellow skin, rather coarse hair, large 
joints, and heavy head, neck, and fore quarters. In tempcravioit 
cattle of this breed are very superior, being quiet and docile 
to the most satisfactory degree. 

The size of Brown Swiss cattle is somewhat variable, accord- 
ing to American consuls in Switzerland, being smaller in the 
high Alpine districts than in the lower regions. A standard 
weight of cow, however, is given at from 1300 to 1400 pounds 
at maturity. The males may weigh over 2000 pounds, although 
1500 to 1800 pounds represent standard weights. It is thought 
by some that the males more nearly approach the females in 
weight than in most breeds. 

The dairy qualities of the Brown Swiss appeal particularly to 
the people of Switzerland, for this is the leading milk-producing 
breed of the country. Numerous records of Swiss dairies show 
large capacity on the part of the Brown Swiss cow. Mr. F. H. 
Mason, as United States consul in Switzerland, reports that at 
Cham the 6000 cows supplying the Anglo-Swiss Condensed 
Milk Company yielded 5315 pounds each. These cows were 
milked for an average of about nine months, and were fed only 
grass and hay. Consul Beauchamp of St. Galle reports visiting 
one of the largest herds of pure-breds in Switzerland, that of 



THE BROWN SWISS 



329 



Mr. Kuhn of Degersheim, where 40 superior cows averaged 
17 to 20 quarts of milk per day. In the Pan-American dairy 
test in 1 90 1 the five Brown Swiss cows stood third in total 
milk solids produced, eighth in net profit in fat, and fourth 
in pounds of milk produced, being surpassed in milk yield by 
the Hoist ein-Friesian, Ayrshire, and Shorthorn respectively. 
In net profit in the six months' test the highest rank attained 
by a Brown Swiss among fifty head of ten breeds was nineteenth, 
the cow Bell T. showing a net profit of $41.23, compared with 




Fig. 146. An excellent type of Brown Swiss heifer as seen in Switzerland. 
Photograph from McLauiy & Son, Portlandville, New York 



$59.21 for the cow in first place, a Guernsey, Mary Marshall. 
The late Major H. E. Alvord reports a Brown Swiss cow in 
Massachusetts to have produced by accurately recorded weights 
86,304 pounds of milk before twelv^e years of age, making from 
500 to 610 pounds of butter per year for four years. The milk 
•is merely fair in per cent of fat, the average in tests of several 
thousand head being 3.30 per cent. In Switzerland, where much 
cheese is made from this milk, about twenty pounds are required 
for one pound of cheese. 

The dairy test of the cow Brienz 168 is of special interest in 
connection with this breed. In November, 1891, this cow, aged 



JO 



".o 



CATTLE 



twelve, weighing 1400 pounds, in a public test at Chicago under 
the auspices of the Illinois State Board of Agriculture, averaged 
81.7 pounds of milk per day for three days, the total milk yield- 
ing 9.32 pounds butter fat, which stands as the largest public 
milk and butter-fat test yet made by any breed. Brienz was a 
Brown Swiss, owned by Mr. Abe Bourquin of Illinois. 

The Brown Swiss as beef producers rank well in Switzerland, 
the Germans especially seeking the fattened cattle, which are 
said to produce a desirable class of meat. In America there is 
little evidence on this point. The cattle, however, keep in good 
flesh easily and fatten rapidly. Weights of 400 to 600 pounds at 




Fig. 147. A pair of Brown Swiss cows. Upland Laura 2001 and Upland 
Augusta 2266. Owned by F. R. Hazard, Syracuse, New York. Photo- 
graph from the owner 



four to si.\ months old are given as common, and the steers 
attain a large size and dress out 55 to 60 per cent. It is not 
likely, however, that cattle of this type will ever become popular 
in the beef-cattle market in America. 

The distribution of Brown Swiss cattle is mainly over con- 
tinental Europe, they thriving there, it is said, very generally, 
excepting in Spain. In the United States there are but com- 
paratively few herds, the better-known ones to-day being in 
New York, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and 
Colorado. 

The adaptability of the Brown Swiss to a wide range of con- 
ditions seems apparent. Their native home is in the mountains. 



THE BROWN SWISS 



331 



where they thrive on rations that would not be regarded as 
satisfactory in America, and where they are distinctly hardy. The 
herds kept in the more sterile sections of the eastern United 
States seem to thrive equally well with those in the corn belt 
of the West. No doubt they have a special place in dairy sections, 
notably in the more elevated regions where a rugged breed is 
desirable. From the profit point of view it is doubtful if they 
can compete satisfactorily with some of our other breeds in the 
fertile West. 

The Brown Swiss in crossing or grading will do very well 
where mated with stock lacking in vigor, for this breed is of 
superior vigor and hardiness. No doubt many grade dairy herds 
of Jersey or Guernsey character would have increased vigor 
restored by a Brown Swiss cross, with a higher value from the 
butcher's point of view. 

The American Brown Swiss Breeders' Association champions 
the cause of the breed in this country. This association was 
organized in 1880, and up to 1905 had published three small 
herd records, showing a registration of 1157 bulls and 17 14 
cows. A very creditable and comparatively large exhibition of 
Brown Swiss cattle was made in 1904 at the Louisiana Purchase 
Exposition, New York, Missouri, and Illinois being represented. 
This was the lari^fest show of the breed thus far held in America. 



332 CATTLE 



A FEW REFERENCE BOOKS ON CATTLE 

Lewis F. Allen, American Cattle. New York, 1890. 
*Lewis F. Allen, History of the Shorthorn Cattle. Buffalo, 1872. 
Aherdeen Angus, The Breed that Beats the Record. Detroit, 1SS6. 
George Armatage, Cattle: Their Varieties and Management. London, N.U. 
Robert W. Ashburner, The Shorthorn Herds of England. Warwick, N.D. 
*C. J. Bates, Thomas Bates and the Kirklevington Shorthorns. London, 1897. 
*Rev. W. Holt Beaver, An Arithmetical Arrangement of the Leading Shorthorn 

Tribes. London, N.D. 
*Thomas Bell, History of Improved Shorthorn-Durham Cattle. Newcastle-on- 

Tyne, 1871. 
J. Coleman, Editor, The Cattle of Great Britain. London, 1875. 
William S. Dixon (The Druid), Saddle and Sirloin. London, 1870. 
Charles L. Flint, Milch Cows and Dairy Farming. Boston, 1889. 
Thomas J. H.\nd, Guenon on Milch Cows. New York, 1883. 
Willis P. Hazard, The Jersey, Alderney, and Guernsey Cow. Philadelphia, 

1872. 
*Frederick L. Houghton, Holstein-Friesian Cattle. Brattleboro, 1897. 
*William Housman, Cattle: Breeds and Management. London, 1897. 
*WiLLiAM Housman, The Improved Shorthorn. London, 1876. 
*JoHN S. Linsley, Jersey Cattle in America. New York, 1S85. 
William McCombie, Cattle and Cattle Breeders. Edinburgh, 1S75. 
*James Macdonald and James Sinclair, The History of Hereford Cattle. 

London, 1886. 
*MAcnoNALD and Sinclair, History of Polled Aberdeen or Angus Cattle. 

Edinburgh, 1S82. 
T. L. Miller and T. F. B. Sotham, History of Hereford Cattle. Chillicothe, 

igo2. 
*Charlks S. Plumb, Little Sketciies of Famous Beef Cattle. Columbus, Ohio, 

1904. 
Dr. G. PuscH, Die Beurteilungslehr des Kindes. Berlin, 1896. 
♦Consular Reports, Cattle and Dairy Farming. Washington, 1S87. 
*Alvin H. Sanders, Shorthorn Cattle. Chicago, 1900. 
*James Sinclair, History of the Devon Breed of Cattle. London, 1S93. 
*Rev. John Storer, The Wild White Cattle of Great Britain. London, N.D. 
*E. Lewis Sturtevant, The Dairy Cow (A monograph of the Ayrshire breed of 

cattle). Boston, 1875. 
Emile Thierre, Les Vaches Laitieres. Paris, 1895. 
George Vasey, A Monograph of the Genus Bos. London, 1857. 
*William YoUA'rr, Cattle : Their Breeds, Management, and Diseases. London, 

■835- 



PART III — SHEEP 
CHAPTER XLV 

THE MERINO OR FINE-WOOL TYPE OF SHEEP 

The Merino involves several families, and all sheep of this 
group are known as fine wools, producing the finest of fiber 
used in the woolen trade. 

The Merino in general conformation may be compared to the 
dairy cow. The body lacks fullness of bosom, breadth of back, 
and general thickness all through ; the leg of mutton is not thick 
and full, and the neck and legs tend to be long. A muscular 
development of the entire body prevails, rather than smooth- 
ness and heavy fleshing. The wool is somewhat short of staple, 
is very thick over the entire body, and is remarkably fine in 
quality. An oily secretion, commonly known as yolk or grease, 
found on all sheep, exudes from glands at the base of the wool 
fiber, and gradually passes up the wool to the tip. Some sheep 
possess much more yolk than others, notably Merinos of the 
Spanish-American type with heavy folds. This yolk accumu- 
lates dust and dirt on the exterior of the fleece, forming a dark, 
dirty covering. There are exceptions, however, with the smooth- 
bodied Merinos, some showing but little external yolk. 

Three classes of Merino sheep are recognized to-day by many 
of our leading breeders. Owing to the difference in type, as 
shown by the folds or wrinkles on the neck and body, in 1893 
the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago grouped these 
sheep into two classes. This same classification has been ac- 
cepted and used elsewhere, including the Louisiana Purchase 
Exposition in 1904 at St. Louis. The classes are as follows: 

Class A Merino represents the distinctly Spanish or American 
type, with heavy folds at the neck and over the body and hind 

ZZ7> 



334 



SHEEP 



quarters, with a very hi<4h percentage of wool and yolk to car- 
cass. At a public shearing at Middlebury, Vermont, in 1882 
a bunch of 54 ewes and rams of this class averaged 23.3 per cent 
unwashed fleece to live weight, and cases are on record where 
36 per cent of the original weight of sheep was fleece. 

Class B Merino carries the Spanish or American blood lines 
also, but has a smoother body, with less folds and less yolk in 
the staple. Sheep in this class usually have some folds about 




Fig. 148. A fine example of a "Vermont Merino," well illustrating the 
Class A type. Photograph from the A'ational Stoc/c/naii and Fanner 

the neck and breast, and perhaps in a slight way at the thighs. 
They usually have somewhat more scale and carry more natural 
flesh and some less wool and yolk though with a longer staple 
than those belonging to Class A. 

In order to more sharply draw the line between Merino sheep 
of different types, many breeders, notably in Ohio, have a third 
class, known as Class C Merino. 

Class C Merino has a very smooth body, with no folds at 
all, unless to a very slight extent in the neck or breast. The 



THE MERINO OR FINE-WOOL TYPIC OF SHEEP 335 

Delaines and Rambouillets represent this type. These have a 
fleece with less yolk and weight although an increased length 
of staple, with a still larger, smoother body, approaching nearer 
the mutton type of carcass, while the fleece retains its typical 
fine-wool character. 

The use of the three classes of Merinos may be found in the 
very best American flocks, one man keeping sheep of each class. 
As sheep of Class C lack weight and quality of fleece to some 



Fig. 149. The Sweepstake^ Mi im.. inn of the Class B type at the Illinois 
State Fair and the St. Louis Exposition and Fair. Exhibited by C. H. 
Bell of Ohio. Photograph from the Ajtiericati Sheep Breeder 



extent, careful matings of rams of Class A are made upon ewes 
of C, resulting in the more desirable B sort, shearing much more 
easily than those of A, giving a reasonably heavy fleece, and 
producing an improvement over A for mutton. By variously 
mating these three classes the breeder may secure a type of 
Merino to suit his special needs. Thus some of our best breeders 
are able to supply calls for sheep of any or all of the three types. 
The head of the Merino sheep should be short, broad at the 
muzzle, with large nostrils. A nose short and inclined to be 



336 SHEEP 

wrinkled, and somewhat thick or Roman with the rams, is pre- 
ferred. There should also be ample width between large, clear, 
mild eyes, with a prominent forehead. The ears should be fine 
and short, be actively carried, and have a coverin-g of silky hair. 
The horns, which occur on the males, as a rule interfere with 
a natural action and movement of ear. The horns on mature 
rams are large, are rather angular at the ba.se, and have a spiral 
turn backward, then downward, around forward, and up, form- 
ing a more or less corkscrew shape. The horn when fully devel- 
oped usually shows one and one-half turns, and with some the 
tip of horn turns upward and with others down. The head of the 
male, as a whole, should show sex character in a strong degree. 

The 7ieck of the Merino should be of moderate length, neither 
thin nor thick and heavy, but should be moderately muscled and 
blended smoothly to head and shoulders. The neck of the male 
should be more heavily muscled, showing distinct masculinity, 
with some indications of throatiness or depth of covering. 

The shoulders should be smooth and incline well into the 
back, and not be too prominent. A prominence of shoulder is 
a too common feature with this type. The ivitJicrs are fre- 
quently sharp and high, although a neat, close, nicely rounded, 
smooth top at this point is desirable especially with the ewes. 
More prominence of withers is desired with rams, and some of 
the greatest sires have been very strong in this respect. 

The breast and cJiest should exhibit considerable depth, with 
a reasonable thickness in proportion. A common feature of the 
Merino is to have too peaked a breast, lacking thickness at the 
chest. The crops and fore flank, which show material deficiency 
in many cases, should be reasonably well filled out. 

The front legs of the Merino are characteristically crooked 
at the knees. As one looks at them from in front the knees 
fairly touch together, while the toes spread out. Sometimes 
the wool on the legs causes deception in this respect, but as a 
rule the legs are too crooked at the knees, due primarily to a 
narrow chest. The same rule will apply to sheep as to other 
animals in regard to position of leg, quality of bone, and length 
of parts. The pasterns should be springy, of medium length, 
and should be strong and support the sheep in proper form. 



THE MERINO OR FINE-^^■OOL 'JTPE OF SHEEP 337 



The back of the Merino varies according to the class. Those 
of Class A usually are narrower and flatter of rib. In any class 
a strongly supported, fairly wide back, with level, wide loin is 
essential. 

The body should have a rather strongly rounded out form, 
the ribs showing a fair arch and considerable length, thus fur- 
nishing ample feeding and breeding capacity. A blocky, short 
body is not so typical as one with more roundness and of mod- 
erate length. The hind 
flanks should show ample 
depth. 

The J I ip s must be 
smooth, not especially 
prominent, and should be 
neatly covered. 

The rump of the Me- 
rino, in correct form, is 
long, level, and wide, but 
a common defect of speci- 
mens of this breed, no 
matter what the class, is 
a peaked, droopy rump. 



L':' -^ . ■ ^tKKI^^^^ IttSiR ' 



Fig. 150. An example of the Class C type of 
Merino. Photograph by the author 



The leg of mutton varies with the class. The nearer one 
approaches Class C the more filled out in all its parts the hind 
quarter becomes. Nev^ertheless, even in Class A, the thigh 
should be strong and reasonably full, though not so thick or 
full in twist as with Classes B and C. Considering that Class C 
emphasizes mutton value, the leg of mutton here should be 
strong of development. 

The hind legs should be muscular and straight, whether 
viewed from either rear or one side, the shank bones fine and 
short, the pasterns strong and well carried, and the toes neatly 
placed. Instead of that, the hind legs in all classes of Merinos 
strongly tend to crooked hocks, the points nearly if not quite 
touching, and the toes turning out. Often the legs below the 
hocks are carried too much under the body, the shanks being 
too slanting. Owing to lack of attention, the toes often grow 
too long, and thus the foot becomes thrown out of proper placing 



338 



SHEEP 



and the entire leg is affected. Careful trimming of the toes will 
easily remedy this. Sheep of the A class tend to have bad feet 
and should be carefully selected and mated with the view of 
avoiding this trouble as much as possible. 

The skin of the Merino should be firm and of a bright pink 
color and free of all scurfiness. No class of sheep, as a rule, 
shows such excellent, high-class color of skin as generally pre- 
vails with this breed. The smoothness of skin varies, that of 
Class A having notable folds, as has been explained on page 333, 
Class B having less, and Class C hardly any at all. The skin of 
Class A sheep is also thicker, mellower, and more porous than 
that of Class C which is thin and more delicate than the other. 

The jicsJiing of the Merino of Class A type is limited in 
degree, being really a very muscular body with almost no fat. 
A smoother, better-fleshed body occurs with Class B, while 
Class C in ideal form is well rounded out, smooth in all the 
parts, neatly covered with flesh without superfluous fat. 

The wool of the Merino, as has been stated, represents the 
finest grade produced on the sheep. This varies in diameter 
and length, according to the breed or breeding, and is discussed 
to some extent under Merino families proper. In all cases, how- 
ever, the fleece should cover the body densely, and the fibers 
be very fine, uniform in diameter, and carry considerable crimp. 
The oil or yolk should be sufficiently abundant to keep the 
fleece in superior condition at all times, indicating a healthy 
condition of skin and body. This oil exposed to the sun turns 
darker in color than when shaded in the fleece and so adds to 
the dirty external appearance. A white oil is said to turn darker 
than the more yellow sort. A fleece colored moderately yellow 
by the oil, being neither white nor egg-yellow, is preferred. A 
very heavy exudation of oil is objected to as not only causing 
unnecessary shrinkage of fleece in washing but also as being 
something of a drain on the animal's vitality. To some extent it 
is probable that the amount of oil may be affected by the food. 
Professor J. A. Craig states that lambs fed grain from birth 
invariably sheared heavier fleeces than those that only had grain 
during the latter three months of feeding. The wool should 
be naturally bright and lustrous, with a clean white color. 



CHAPTER XLVI 

THE AMERICAN MERINO^ 

The Spanish Merino as the parent of the American Merino 
should receive a brief consideration introductory to this breed. 

The native home of the Merino is in Spain, in southern Europe. 
The country is quite variable in character, the interior consist- 
ing of plains as well as long ranges of mountains, some of which 
are many thousand feet high. There are numerous rivers and 
deep valleys. The climate is generally dry and mild in the low- 
lands, and oranges, citrons, olives, and grapes are commonly 
produced ; while on the plains and mountain sides are extensive 
pastures, where in times past large flocks have grazed. On the 
lower, richer lands the sheep are larger than on the dryer, poorer 
soils or more elevated mountains. 

Sheep husbandry in Spain was for centuries an important 
industry. Historians at the beginning of the Christian era 
directed attention to the superior fleece of the sheep of Spain, 
especially Columella, a famous Latin writer on agriculture, 
who wrote during the first century. As early as the eighth 
century, when the Saracens took possession of Spain, they 
established many mechanical arts, among which was the woolen 
industry, and the Spanish sheep furnished the fiber. The 
statement has been made that in Seville no less than sixteen 
thousand looms existed in the thirteenth century. Some of the 
Spanish cloths were highly esteemed for their quality. By the 
fifteenth century, however, the Moors had been largely driven 
from Spain and the woolen industry fell into decay and finally 
became unimportant. Later an attempt was made to revive the 
manufacture of fine fabrics from wool, but without success. 

' The word " Merino " is Spanish, signifying governor of a small province, and 
likewise one who has care of the pastures or cattle in general. lie receives his 
appointment from the king, is a person of rank, and is termed Merino Mayor. 

339 



340 



SHEEP 



Two great groups of Spanish sheep existed in times past. One, 
known as Estantcs or stationary, consisted of flocks of the coarser 
woolcd types, and these remained permanently on many of the 
hill farms. The other group, termed Transhuviaiitcsox migratory, 
consisted of flocks that were driven during the spring season, 
under the care of competent shepherds, across country and into 
the mountains over a grazing region, to be returned in the fall to 
the oriirinal home. The Transhumantes were divided into two 




Fk;. 151. An American Merino ram, shown at the Pan-American K.\posi- 
tion in 1901 by II. D. Jackson of Bridport, Vermont. This ram was 
first-prize yearhng and the champion ram of the Class A type. Photo- 
graph from the Xaiioiial Stockman cDid /\iniic)- 



classes, the Lconese and Sorian. The former was the more numer- 
ous and was the highest esteemed. Most of the sheep brought 
to America from Spain belonged to the Transhumantes group. 

The annual Merino drives in Spain were most important affairs. 
Youatt writes as follows : 

The Leonese after having been cantoned during the winter on the north 
bank of the Guadiana, in Estremadura, begin their marcli about the fif- 
teenth of April in divisions of two or three thousand. They pass the Tagus 



THE AMERICAN MERINO 



341 



at Almares, and direct their course towards Trecasas, Alfaro, and L'Epinar, 
where they are shorn. This operation having been performed, they recom- 
mence their travels towards the kingdom of Leon. Some halt on the Sierra 
(ridge of the mountains) which separates Old from New Castile, but others 
pursue their route to the pastures of Cervera, near Aquilar del Campo. 
Here they graze until the end of September, when they commence their 
return to Estremadura. The Sorian sheep, having passed the winter on the 
confines of Estremadura, Andalusia, and New Castile, begin their route 
about the same time. They pass the Tagus at Talavera and approach 
Madrid ; thence they proceed to Soria, where a portion of them are distrib- 
uted over the neighboring mountains, while the others cross the Ebro in 
order to proceed to Navarre and the Pyrenees. 

It is said that these periodical journeys can be traced back to 
the middle of the fourteenth century, when a tribunal was estab- 
lished for their regulation. The number of these migratory sheep 
seventy-five years ago was placed at ten millions, and they were 
divided into flocks, each in care of a Mayoral ox chief shepherd. 

The important provincial flocks of Spain, from which the best 
Merino blood was exported, were represented on about a half 
dozen estates, there being mainly, according to Livingston, about 
30,000 on each estate. These flocks have been described by 
various early writers, notably Consul William Jarvis, who was 
familiar with the flocks in Spain a century ago, he being United 
States consul at Lisbon, Portugal, from which port thousands of 
Merinos were shipped. The information concerning the early 
Spanish flocks is more or less obscure, often indefinite, and 
sometimes conflicting. The following is such evidence as can be 
presented of the groups or classes from which American importa- 
tions were mainly drawn. In Spain these classes were more or 
less interbred, and the same applies to American flocks. 

Paular Merinos. This type which produced the largest and 
best fleeces was originally owned by the Carthusian friars of 
Paular, on the borders of Andalusia, an agricultural class of 
monks that paid great attention to horses and sheep. This was 
probably one of the handsomest flocks of Spain, having close, 
compact, soft, and silky wool, with less surface yolk than most 
types. The Paulars were credited with enlargement behind the 
ears, with considerable throatiness, and their lambs had a coarse 
hairy appearance at birth. 



342 



SHEEP 



Aguirre Merinos. This type had more wool about the face and 
legs than did the other types. The wool was more crimped than 
that of the Paulars and less so than that of the Negrettes, and 
was thick and soft. The Aguirres had short legs, round and 
broad bodies, and much loose skin or folds. 

Negrette Merinos. These were the largest and strongest of the 
Transhumantes sheep of Spain. The wool was some shorter and 
more open than that of the Paular, and " inclined to double." 
Many Negrettes were wooled on the face, and on the legs to 
the hoofs. All the loose-skinned sheep had heavy dewlaps. The 
rams possessed large horns. 

Guadalupe Merinos were heavier of bone than the Negrettes, 
and were of much the same size, but were not so handsome, 




Fk;. 152. Wooly Nose and White Nose, two American Merino rams owned 
by J. J. Deeds of Ohio. Photograph from the American Sheep Breeder 



according to Jarvis, although Last eyrie credits them with the most 
perfect form, and says they are celebrated also for the quantity 
and quality of their wool. These sheep had numerous folds, and 
the wool was thick and crimped and more oily than the Negrette. 

The Escurial Merinos were about as high as the Paulars, but 
were slighter of frame. Their wool was crimped and not so thick 
as the Paular wool, and they had less wool on the legs and 
faces, nor were their skins so loose as the Negrette and Aguirre 
families. Montarco Merinos closely resembled the Escurials. 

Infantado Merinos were mainly bred by the Duke of Infantado. 
They were very superior sheep and many of them were brought 



THK AMERICAN MERINO 343 

to America, notably by Colonel Humphreys. The horns on the 
rams came nearer to the sides of the head than did those on the 
Paulars and Negrettes. The Infantados of Atwood were mated 
with Paulars and gave a great improvement, and from this com- 
mingling of blood resulted the Atwood family of Merinos, long 
celebrated for superiority of fleece. 

The origin of Merino sheep is merely speculative. It has been 
assumed that the parent stock existed in Spain prior to the 
Christian era, and that this was improved by the introduction of 
Tarentine sheep from Tarento, southern Italy. Lucius Columella 
is said to have introduced these a.d. 41, and he also imported 
African rams. The people of Carthage and Phoenicia in northern 
Africa brought fine-wooled sheep to Spain, as did probably other 
invaders also. The sheep of Spain in those days were of various 
colors, — white, black, red, or tawny, the red fiber being of the 
finest quality. Undoubtedly these early sheep were much inferior 
to those we know to-day in America, but they without question 
produced finer wool than did other European sheep. The modern 
improvement of the Merino was essentially accomplished out of 
Spain. The Spanish government opposed most of the first expor- 
tations, and many sheep were smuggled from the country. 

The exportation of Merinos from Spain to European countries 
and America was of gixat imi)ortance, for with this the improve- 
ment of the Merino began. 

Swedish Merinos. It is believed that the first of these sheep 
exported from Spain were taken to Sweden in 1723 by M. 
Alstroemer. 

The Saxon Merino. In 1765 the Elector of Saxony imported 
from Spain 92 rams and 128 ewes, these coming from the flocks of 
Count Negrette. Part of these were placed on a farm near Dres- 
den, and were later distributed to various farms, where they were 
carefully bred, and where they did remarkably well. Youatt states 
that the wool of the Saxon Merino became finer and more serrated 
than its Spanish progenitor, and so had an increased value. It 
has been claimed that the Saxon is the least hardy of the modern 
Merinos. The modern type of Saxon is essentially free of folds. 

German or Silesian Merinos. The first attempt toward the 
establishment of this family was in 1768 by Mr. von Vinke, 



344 



SHEEP 



near Halle, who introduced some Saxon Merinos. Ten years 
later he secured pure Merinos from Spain and crossed them on 
the sheep in that section of Germany. In 1776 Frederick the 
Great became interested and imported 300 pure Merinos from 
Spain, but through disease and mismanagement these came to 
an unfortunate end. Later von Vinke purchased a thousand pure 
Merinos under government commission, agricultural schools were 
established for the instruction of shepherds, and sheep husbandry 
was specially promoted. This resulted in establishing the Ger- 
man or Silesian family. 

French Merinos or Rambouillets. These were imported from 
Spain to France in 1786 by government commission. This type 
is discussed by itself further on. 

English Merinos. About 1787, during the reign of George III, 
the " farmer king," a small flock of mixed Merinos was smuggled 
from Spain through Portugal and taken to England. These were 
inferior, so in 1791, at the request of the king, a select lot of 
Negrette sheep, consisting of four rams and thirty-six ewes, were 
collected by one of the Spanish nobility and presented to the 
king. These arrived in England in good shape, but did poorly 
at first. Not being suited to the moist climate and rich pastures 
they suffered much from disease and especially foot rot. They 
gradually became acclimated and thrived fairly well. A society 
was organized in 181 1 to promote them, but the small size of 
this sheep and its inferior mutton quality caused British farmers 
to gradually give them up. To-day Merinos are almost unknown 
in England. 

The Australian Merino. Late in the eighteenth century a few 
Merinos had been taken to Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, 
from England. Later, in 1797, these were taken to Sydney, 
New South Wales. Since that period Australia has become the 
greatest Merino sheep country in the world. There these sheep 
thrive and j^roduce a very superior grade of wool. 

The introduction of the Merino to the United States probably 
occurred in 1793. Mr. William Foster of Boston, Massachu- 
setts, smuggled from Spain one ram and two ewes. These he 
presented to a friend, who, not realizing their value, used them 
for meat, though he later purchased a ram for ^1000 at auction. 



THE AMERICAN MERINO 



345 



In 1 80 1 Seth Adams, then of Dorchester, Massachusetts, im- 
ported a pair of Spanish Merinos, which were conveyed through 
France to the seaboard. Later, in 1807, Adams moved to Ohio, 
taking the first Merino sheep west of the Alleghany Mountains. 
In 1 80 1 M. Dupont de Nemours had four ram lambs shipped to 
America, three of which died at sea. The other, Don Carlos, was 
taken to Dujiont's farm along the Hudson River in New York, 




Fig. 153. Don Dudley's Pet 1493, ^" American Merino ram noted as a sire 
and prize winner. Owned and shown by R. D. Williamson of Xenia, 
Ohio. Sold in 1906 at six years of age for $300, to go to South Africa. 
The men in the picture are three of the most prominent Merino breeders 
of Ohio and the United States. Mr. Williamson is on the left, Mr. A. T. 
Gamber in the center, and Oeorge II. Ilelser on the right. Photograph 
by the author 

where for nearly four years he was used on the flocks of that 
region. Later he was taken to Wilmington, Delaware, and the 
influence of his blood became felt extensively in New York, 
Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. In 1802 Colonel 
David Humphreys imported from Spain twenty-one rams and 
seventy ewes to his home in Derby, Connecticut. Robert Living- 
ston, Minister to France, sent four head to New York the same 



346 SHEEP 

year. In 1805 Livingston returned to America and began breed- 
ing pure and grade Merinos. He was very successful in his 
breeding, and his sheep attracted wide attention and brought 
high prices. He had great social influence and was a famous 
politician, so that he induced many to take up sheep husbandry. 
In 1809 he wrote an Essay on Sheep, which was ordered 
printed by the New York legislature. Through his influence the 
legislature also passed an act in 1808 to encourage raising and 
breeding Merinos. In 1809-18 10 William Jarvis of Vermont, 
United States Consul at Lisbon, Portugal, shipped at different 
times a total of about 4000 Spanish Merinos, of which 1 500 
came to New York, 1000 to Boston and Newburyport, and the 
remainder to Philadelphia, Baltimore, Alexandria, Richmond, 
Norfolk, etc. " Indeed," sa) s Mr. Jarvis in his correspondence, 
" I was disposed to distribute these valuable animals to every 
state which would be likely to profit by their acquisition." All of 
these were sheep of superior breeding. They included Paulars, 
Aguirres, liscurials, Negrettes, and Montarcos. Jarvis placed 
400 head on his farm in Vermont, in the care of Paular shepherds, 
and he writes that " I bred the respective flocks separately till 
18 16 or 18 17, when I mixed them together, and have so bred 
my Merinos ever since." The importations of Humphreys and 
Jarvis distributed Spanish Merinos widely over the northeastern 
states, and from these our American Merinos received their im- 
portant early start. Each of these men bred most successfully, 
greatly improving their flocks. 

A mania for Merino sheep began to develop, and in 18 10 both 
Livingston and Humphreys sold rams at $1000 each, while the 
latter sold two ewes and two rams for $1500 each. Then came 
a great craze for fine-wool sheep, and it is stated that in 18 10 
over 10,000 were shipj)ed to America; Cochran Johnston, 
Goold Brothers, and Charles O'Neil importing from Lisbon, and 
R. W. Meade and others from Cadiz. It is estimated that from 
April I, 1810, to August 31, 18 11, there were brought to the 
United States 19,651 Merino shcc]). 

The early improvers of the Merino began with Adams and 
Humphreys, but during the middle of the century a few men 
rendered very great service in the improvement of this sheep. 



THE AMERICAN MERINO 



347 



Notable among these were Stephen Atwood, Woodbury, Con- 
necticut, whose flock was commenced in 1813, and who was a 
breeder until his death in 1867 ; Edwin Hammond, Middlebury, 
Vermont, 1 844-1 870; William Jarvis, Weathersfield, Vermont, 
1811-1859; Tyler Stickney, Shoreham, Vermont, 1834-1882 ; 
Andrew Cock, Flushing, Long Island, New York, a breeder 
from 18 1 1 to 1823 ; Charles Rich of Shoreham, Vermont, who 




Fig. 154. An American Merino ewe of the Class B type, first in class at three 
state fairs. Owned and exhibited by R. D. Williamson. Photograph from 
the National Stockman and Farmer 



began his flock in 1823, his sons, John T. and Charles, continu- 
ing the work, this also descending to a third generation in his 
grandsons, J. T. and Virtulan, sons of John T. ; William R. 
Dickinson of Steubenville, Ohio, who bred from about 1809 to 
1830; and Bezaleel Wells, also of Steubenville, who maintained 
a flock over much the same period. These men were among 
the really great pioneer breeders of America ; they did much to 



348 



SHEEP 



improve the Merino, notably in character and quantity of fleece, 
and from their flocks descends the best blood of to-day. 

Characteristics of the American Merino. This Merino is simply 
an improved form of the S[)anish, characterized by heavy folds 
on llic body, excepting over the back. The Jicad is small, being 
comparatively broad and short, the rams carrying heavy, spirally 
twisted horns, and the ewes being hornless. The lips and nostrils 
are white and fine silky white hairs surround the muzzle and 
extend part way up the nose. The ears are small and are 
covered with fine white hairs. Reddish or tan-colored hair is 
occasionally seen on the ears and nose of the Merino, which 
suggests a reversion to the same color of earlier days. Some 
Merino breeders have valued this color variation, while others 
have endeavored to breed it out. The neck is thin and tends to 
be long below and short above, the shoulders are very sloping, 
the chest narrow but deep, the withers thin, the back moderately 
narrow, the rump frequently steep, the thighs thin, the legs 
small and fine. The skin is of the most attractive bright pink 
color, and in good specimens is in folds along the bridge of the 
nose and neck, about the breast, shoulders, lower part of the 
sides, and about the rump and thigh. There are usually no 
folds over the back and perhaps upper third of sides, unless in 
a small degree. In 1892 an eminent breeder is thus quoted by 
Ezra Carman : 

The prevailing fashion is to have from three to five heavy folds on the 
neck, not large on the upper side, but large on the under side ; two or 
three short folds on and immediately back of each elbow or arm ; fine, 
thick wrinkles running down the sides, but not extending over the l)ack. 
Wrinkles across the hips, sometimes from the tail in the direction of the 
stifle, and sometimes at right angles with them, folds also around tlie tail to 
give it a wide appearance, and also folds across the thigh with a deep flank. 

The fleece covers the entire body and legs, excepting on the 
nose, on the lower half of the head, and on the ears. The eyes 
are often hidden by the fleece covering the head. The outside 
of the fleece is of a dirty black color, caused by the accumula- 
tion of dust in the \ellow oil or yolk which exudes to the end 
of the fiber, adding greatly to the unwashed weight. A con- 
siderable amount of oil is desirable in the fleece and especially 



THE AMERICAN MERINO 



349 



is it important in the rams. A dry, white fleece is an inferior 
wool, and rams with such fleeces are not usually the best 
breeders. This grease, oil, or yolk may be scoured off, to show 
a shrinkage in weight of 65 per cent. American Merino wool is 
the finest produced, and the more folds on the body, and the 
more crimped the fiber, the finer the staple. The one-year- 
old fleece of a mature sheep will show a length of about two 
and one-half inches. The temperament of the Merino is very 
lively, yet not necessarily inconsistent with docility. 

The size of the American Merino naturally varies. Weights of 
130 pounds or upward for the rams and about 100 pounds for 
the ewes are acceptable to breeders. The finer specimens of 
rams often weigh 150 to 200 pounds, but many excellent ewes 
weigh less than 100 pounds. 

The American Merino as a wool producer is famous. No class 
of sheep shears so strong, fine, and heavy a fleece. Many mature 
females shear from 12 to 15 pounds and rams easily attain 20 
pounds. The Vermont j\fc)ino Register gives thirty-six rams, 
three years old or over, whose fleeces averaged 3 i pounds i ounce 
each, one weighing 2)7 pounds 8 ounces. A two-year-old ram, at 
the annual shearing of the Vermont Sheep Shearing Association, 
sheared 44 pounds 3 ounces, the heaviest on record. Records 
are given by the Vermont Register of fifty-four ewes, two years 
old and over, which sheared 1064 pounds, 9 ounces, an average 
of 19 pounds 1 1 ounces, the heaviest fleece weighing 25 pounds. 
In 1887 forty-six ewes averaged 21 pounds 5 ounces. 

The relationship of weight of Merino fleece to body is regarded 
as showing the true wool-producing capacity of the sheep. The 
thirty-six rams above referred to sheared 25.2 per cent wool to 
weight of carcass. Quoting from Vermont reports, in 18 12 the 
best rams produced but about 6 per cent wool to weight of body. 
In 1844 the wool had increased to 15 per cent, from 1844 to 1865 
to 21 per cent, and from then to 1880 up to 36 per cent, show- 
ing a remarkable improvement in wool production. In 1878 
Vermont exhibited seventy-eight fleeces at the Paris Exposition, 
which showed 22 per cent wool to live weight, thirty of the best 
ones showing 25.2 per cent, the six best 30.1, and one up to 
36.6 per cent. At a public shearing at Middlebury, Vermont, 



15« 



SHEEP 



in 1882, fifty-four rams and ewes averaged 23.3 per cent wool 
to live weight. 

The fineness of Merino fiber has greatly improved since the 
introduction of this sheep to America. A set of measurements 
of twenty-four sheep given by Dr. Cutting showed an average 
diameter of fiber for rams and ewes of tj'.j^ inch, the rams 
averaging j^^^s and the ewes ttiVh. the finest ewe fiber being 
T^x inch. Dr. William McMurtrie, who conducted extensive 
investigations on wools for the United States Department of 
Agriculture, gives this table of the comparative diameter of 
wools of different breeds : 





Average 


Diameter Fiber 


Bkeei) 


Centi- 
millimeters 


Fraction of 
AN Inch 


Merino 


2.127 
2.936 
3.298 
3707 

3-879 
4.196 

4-365 


ttVt 




Hampshire I^owii . . . .... 


7b 

1 


Lincoln ... 


Leicester 




Cotswold 

Oxford Down 





The mutton qualities of the American Merino are inferior. 
These sheep are muscular in type and carry but little fat, and 
when pure-bred are of but secondary imj^ortance as mutton. 

The cross-bred or grade American Merino is not improved 
for wool production, but by mating with middle wool blood a 
better mutton sheep is produced, though shearing less wool 
and being less hardy. Sheep of the Delaine type are more or 
less bred to the American type, thus reducing the folds but not 
seriou.sly affecting the wool-producing value. In Australia the 
American type is preferred to the smooth-bodied Merino, while 
in the United States the reverse is the case. In order, however, 
to maintain high-shearing qualities, studs of American Merinos 
must be maintained to thicken up the fleece of the smoother 
sort and keep up the weight. In New Zealand the Romney 



THE AMERICAN MERINO 35 I 

Marsh and Merino are crossed extensively, the cross-bred with- 
standing, says Mr. George A. Brown, the bleak climate of south- 
ern New Zealand better than any other combination. Mr. Brown 
says that in Australia the most successful flocks of cross-bred 
sheep he has seen were from crossing long-wool rams on Merino 
ewes. The half-bred ewes are culled as though pure-bred, and 
those selected for breeding are drafted into two lots, one of long 
wool and the other of Merino type. Merino rams are then used 
on long-wool type ewes, and long-wool rams on Merino type 
ewes. Every year this selection is followed out, and a very even 
type of sheep obtained. On large estates famous for cross-bred s, 
studs of Merino and long-wool rams are kept for this kind of 
mating, which produces a class of sheep in favor with the butcher, 
and the wool of which sells well. The French have developed 
an important sort in France, known as the Dishley Merino, the 
result of using Leicester rams on Merino ewes. 

The adaptability of the American Merino is great. On the 
rough mountain pastures of New England and on the ranges 
of the far West it seems equally at home, though a better fleece 
is produced in the northeast than the southwest, the dryer climate 
being more unfavorable. On the richer soils of the middle West 
the Merino attains more size than in the far West. The American 
Merino is extremely hardy and thrives on scanty pasture and in 
cold weather. Grazing in large flocks on the plains, it is specially 
adapted to the care of the shepherd. Larger flocks of Merinos 
may be kept together more successfully than is possible with the 
other breeds. Merinos are very active and rustle for themselves 
under unfavorable conditions. 

The breeding qualities of the American Merino are rather 
inferior. The lambs of the heavy-fleeced sort are often weak 
when dropped ; the ewes are not very prolific and are not supe- 
rior milkers. In 1903 Mr. C. S. Chapman, one of Ohio's best- 
known breeders, wrote : 

For many years previous to 1880 my father and I were breeders of the 
heavy-folded Merinos, having ewes shearing 18 to 20 pounds each, and 
using rams shearing 30 to 36 pounds each, from the flocks of the best 
breeders in Vermont. We had our sheep bred so strongly to the pro- 
duction of wool that we could not raise over 50 to 60 per cent of the 



352 



SHEEP 



lamb crop. They (the himbs) would be so feeble when dropped that in a 
majority of cases you could not tell for twenty-four hours whether they had 
vitality enough to live. 

They, however, breed far longer than the average sheep and 
raise a fair percentage of lambs. 

The early maturing qualities of the American Merino are of 
secondary character, the lambs developing more slow!)- than the 
mutton breeds. 

The distribution of the Merino has been general all over the 
civilized world where sheep husbandry is followed at all. Aus- 
tralia, New Zealand, Germany, and the United States are the 
leading countries breeding sheep of the American Merino type. 
These sheep have been bred in all parts of the United States, 
but are not so popular as they were a half century ago, now that 
mutton is more in demand and wool has depreciated in value. 
Further, sheep of the American type, with numerous folds, are 
objected to, on account of the difficulty in shearing, so that 
smooth-bodied Merinos are more popular than the American. 
At the present time Ohio, Vermont, New York, Michigan, Wis- 
consin, and Missouri are the states containing the principal flocks 
of this class. Many Merinos have been exported from Vermont 
and Ohio to South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, 
and South America. 

Organizations to promote Merino sheep are numerous. The Ver- 
mont Merino Sheep Breeders' Association, organized in 1879, has 
published four volumes of flock books and registered over 300,000 
sheep, mainly a.s flocks. The United States Merino Sheep 
Register was organized in Ohio in 1876, and published a volume 
of its flock book the same year. In 1882 the Ohio Spanish 
Merino Sheep l^reedcrs' Association was organized at Columbus, 
and published its first volume in 1885. The National Record of 
the American Merino Sheep Register was organized in 1881 in 
Wisconsin, the first volume of the flock book being published iii 
1882. The New York Merino Sheep Breeders' Association was 
organized in 1879 and the Michigan Merino Association in 1880. 
In other states associations for recording Merino sheep also 
organized, but these have never become very active factors in 
the Merino industry. In January, 1906, a conference of Merino 



THE AMERICAN MERINO 



153 



breeders, representing different registry associations, was held at 
Columbus, Ohio, for the purpose of consoUdating into one strong 
organization. This resulted in the incorporation of the American 
and Delaine-Merino Record Association. By official action the 
Standard Delaine, the International Delaine, and the Improved 
Spanish Delaine associations merged into the new organization. 
This, it is hoped, is the beginning of a movement of consolidation 










Fig. 155. Ringleader 553, a Delaine Merino ram, bred by and shown by 
A. T. Gamber, Wakeman, Ohio. This ram has never been defeated in 
the show ring. In 1903, as a yearling, he was first at the state fairs of 
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and Michigan. Also shown with equal 
success in 1904. Photograph by the author 

which will result in greatly unifying and strengthening Merino 
interests. In 1904 about nineteen Merino associations of differ- 
ent kinds, organized to register sheep, were in existence. Many 
of these are now very weak organizations, transacting but little 
business. 

Some famous Merino rams are worthy of note on account of 
their influence in improving the breed. Among these are the 
following : Bolivar, born in 1820, died in 1834, owned by W. R. 



354 SHEEP 

Dickinson and others in Ohio; Consul, bred about 1838 by 
WiUiam Jarvis ; Stickjuys Consul, bred by Jarvis in 1835; 
California, bred in 1858 by Victor Wright; Comet, hrc<\ in 1861 
by W. R. Sanford of Vermont, and later taken to Ohio ; Eureka 
by Comet, and Kilpatrick by Comet, both bred by Sanford ; 
Wooster, bred in 1849 by Edwin Hammond, sired Young Match- 
less and Old Greasy ; Gold Drop, bred in 1 86 1 by Edwin Ham- 
mond, who was several times offered $10,000 for him, and who 
valued him at $25,000; Stowell's Sivcepstakes, bred in i860 by 
Edwin Hammond ; Golden Fleece by Stowell's Sweepstakes/bred 
in 1862, said to have earned his owner over $20,000; General 
Fremont, bred in 1865 by Tyler Stickney ; Bismarck, owned by 
H. C. Burwell of Vermont, that was sweepstakes Merino in 1876 
at the Centennial Exposition ; Banker, bred in 1875 by V. Rich 
of Vermont ; Rams, bred in 1 874 by Geo. Hammond, winner 
in 1880 of first prize as a sire at the International Sheep Show 
at Philadelphia ; Don Dudley, bred in 1891 by J. P. Ray of New 
York ; and More Quality, bred in 1 898 by R. D. Williamson of 
Ohio, was sire of many of the prize winners at the Louisiana 
Purchase Exposition in 1904. 

High prices for Merinos have been paid. In 1808 James 
Wadsworth })aid Humphreys $1000 for a ram, and in March, 
18 10, Colonel Humphreys sold two rams and two ewes for 
$6000 to go to Kentucky. This year, 18 10, there was a Merino 
mania on, and many sheep changed hands at phenomenal prices. 
On September 22, 18 10, an auction of 215 Paular Merinos at the 
country home of Y . B. Winthrop, Home's Neck, New York, 
brought $57,000, averaging $265 each. Many thousand Me- 
rinos were imported in 1810 and 181 1, and were largely sold 
at auction, bringing abnormally high prices. Then came a 
collapse, and Merinos were sold for a song. Again in the early 
sixties high prices prevailed, and man}- sheep sold at thousands 
of dollars each. The people of Australia ha\-e long paid high 
prices for Merino rams. The ram President sold for 1600 guineas 
($8000) to go to Tasmania, and several of his sons sold for 
1000 guineas each. The following rams also sold in Australia 
for the prices affixed : Sir Thomas, 680 guineas ; Sir Thomas 2d, 
404 guineas ; Golden Horn, 560 guineas; Golden Horn 2d, 630 



THE AMERICAN MERINO 



355 



guineas ; Golden Tom, 500 guineas. Many sheep have been 
shipped from Vermont and Ohio to Austraha at prices from 
$500 upward per head, several sales being made in 1906. 

A notable American Merino show-ring victory, worthy of record 
here, occurred in 1863, when George Campbell of Vermont 
exhibited twelve Vermont-bred Merinos at the International 
Exposition at Hamburg, Germany. There were 1771 sheep 
entered in competition, 913 being Merinos from every part of 




Fig. 156. Stickney, a Delaine Merino ram at the head of the flock of 
G. B. Quinn of Ohio. This ram sheared 25 pounds. Photograph from 
the National Stockman and Farmer 



Europe, — France, Italy, Austria, Russia, and Germany being 
represented. The twelve sheep shown by Mr. Campbell were 
the only ones from the United States, and these took three 
premiums, two firsts and one second, one first being for length 
of staple and one for weight of fleece. These prize sheep were 
later sold to Count Shen Thors of Silesia for $5000. This was a 
great testimonial to the superiority of American Merinos. 

Important subtypes or families of the Merino exist to-day. 
Among these are the Delaine and the Rambouillet, which are 



356 SHEEP 

discussed separately further on. There are also several other 
families, which are now of less importance than formerly, not- 
ably the Atwood and Paular. The former was established by 
Stephen Atwood and later was especially promoted by Edwin 
Hammond. It was a type having many folds and was very 
popular from 1845 to 1895. The Paular comes from Spanish 
stock imported by Andrew Cocks and later improved in the hands 
of Jehiel Biedle, Tyler Stickney, Erastus Robinson, and the Rich 
family of Vermont. This also possessed many folds and a large 
amount of oil in the fleece. Both the Atwood and Paular families 
are important strains of the American Merino stock. The Saxon 
Merino at one time had some popularity in America, especially 
in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, but this family has now 
but very few pure-bred representatives and these mainly in Penn- 
sylvania. It deteriorated so in weight of fleece and constitution 
as to be generally discarded. 



CHAPTER XLVII 



THE DELAINE MERINO 



The word ''Delaine" is derived from two French words, de, 
signifying of or from, and lainc, meaning wool or woolen. The 
word in the woolen trade indicates a class of wool used to make 
fine untwillcd worsted dress goods. A combing process takes 
place, in which the fibers of wool are drawn parallel with each 
other and spun at full length in the yarn, thus securing the full 
strength of the fiber and 
making the strongest and 
most durable of woolen 
dress goods. This was due 
to an invention of E. R. 
Mudge of Boston. Previ- 
ous to this time only coarse 
wools were combed, fine 
wools being carded, a pro- 
cess inferior to combing. 

Delaine Merino types 
exist under several names, 
these being of American 
Merino ancestry, bred 
mainly by selection into a 
variety quite or nearly free 
from folds, of the smooth- 
bodied sort. These types 
differ in a limited degree, being really very much alike. 

The origin of the Delaine Merino traces back to the Humph- 
reys importation of 1802 and that of R. W. Meade about 1820. 
From these flocks certain selections were made and types gradu- 
ally evolved from them, breeders generally keeping in mind both 
mutton and wool production. 

357 



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Fic;. 157. Gamber's Model, a very choice 
.specimen of Delaine Merino ewe, bred and 
e.xhibited by A. T. Gamber. This ewe was 
first in class at the Ohio State Fair in 1905. 
Photograph by the author 



358 



SUKKl* 



The Dickinson Delaine was named after William R. Dickinson 
who lived for years at Steubenvillc, Ohio, where he was an 
extensive breeder of sheep. About 1807 or 1808 Thomas 
Rotch, a Quaker, moved from Connecticut to Stark County, 
Ohio, bringing with him a small fiock of sheep, some of which 
were from the Humphrc\s importation. In 1809 Mr. Dickinson 




Fig. 158. A Delaine Merino ewe of very superior character, successfully 
exhibited by C. II. Bell of Ohio. Photograph from the .Vatioiial Stock- 
man and Farmer 



became the owner of some of these imported sheep of Mr. Rotch, 
which he kept by themselves and carefully bred. In 1820 Adam 
Hildebrand became superintendent of Mr. Dickinson's farm, thus 
getting acquainted with Mr. Dickinson's sheep and his methods. 
In his flock was a .smooth-bodied ram named Bolivar, that became 
a great prize winner for his individual merit. In 1830 the Dick- 
inson flock was sold, and Hildebrand obtained some of the best 
sheep. In 1823 Mr. James McDowell became an employee of 



THE DELAINE MERINO 



359 



Mr. Dickinson, and later went into the service of Mr. Hildebrand. 
A part of his remuneration was to be "a selection of the best 
two ewe lambs and the second-best ram lamb of the last crop of 
lambs bred by Mr. Dickinson, descended from the select Hum- 
phreys flock and sired by Bolivar." These lambs, according to 
Mr. McDowell, were the foundation stock of the Dickinson Me- 
rinos, and the McDowell family of Stark County, Ohio, notably 
H. G. McDowell, has been the leading improver of this variety. 

Characteristics of Dickinson Delaines. The standard of excel- 
lence of the Dickinson Merino Association specifies that this 
sheep shall have a deep, round, wide, and long body, showing 
mutton capacity, carrying heavy, thick flesh, the top and under 
lines being straight, and the skin smooth, pink, and well filled out, 
being free of folds. The head may have small horns, but a polled 
head is preferred ; the nose is covered with fine white hairs, and 
the ears are small and also covered with silky hairs. The fleece 
extends over the body excepting the lower part of the nose, the 
legs also being wooled to the toes. The fleece should be from 
three to five inches long, of a quality graded as XX or XXX 
fine Delaine combing. Rams should shear 15 to 25 pounds and 
ewes 10 to 15 pounds unwashed wool. The fleece is not so oily 
as that of some of the Merinos, but carries enough oil for good 
quality. The size of the Dickinson Delaine runs large, the 
standard for mature rams being 200 pounds, and for ewes 150 
pounds. The mutton qualities of this family have been especially 
looked to by the breeders, so that they rank well in this respect. 
Wonderful, one of the best-known Dickinson rams, bred by 
H. G. McDowell, weighed 200 pounds when two years old and 
his second fleece weighed 26 pounds. 

The National Delaine. About 1820 Mr. R. W. Meade, at one 
time Minister to Spain, imported some Merinos to this country. 
Most of these sheep were taken to the farm of Alexander Wilson 
near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1821 or thereabouts Alex- 
ander Reed of W^ashington County, Pennsylvania, purchased 
these Meade sheep as well as other Merinos and placed them on 
his farm. From this Meade importation the Delaine type was 
first developed, tracing back to Reed stock ; but the family was 
mainly established through the careful breeding operations of 



;6o 



SHEEP 



John McNary, W. H. McNary, J. S. McNary, Ebcnezer McClel- 
land, George Craighead, George Murray, and William Brownlee. 
In connection with the development of this family R. H.Russell 
of Pennsylvania and C. PI. Beall of West Virginia played an 
important part. In 1862 a ram of Spanish and Black Top blood 
purchased from Beall was used in the flock descended from 
McClelland, tlien in the hands of his sons. In 1877 R. H. Rus- 
sell, who began his flock in 1852 with fifty Black Top Merinos 
from William Da\is, with J. C. McNary purchased a Spanish 
ram named Victor, bred by J. M. Miller, which was used in their 

flocks. Both of these rams 
were very prepotent and 
unusually fine individuals. 
The descendants of these 
two rams nicked to great 
advantage, resulting in 
high-class Delaines that 
were long known as Victor- 
Beall Delaine Merinos. It 
can thus be seen that the 
Delaine strain was devel- 
oped by a combination of 
Black Top and Spanish 
blood, or a combination of 
s m o o t h - b o d i e d w i t h 
wrinkled Merino. 
Characteristics of National, Standard, or Victor-Beall Delaines. 
These are essentially much like the Dickinson family. The body 
is smooth, excepting for slight folds at the neck, and perhaps at 
the breast in the form of an apron. The rams may or may not 
have horns. According to Mr. S. M. Cleaver, Secretary of the 
Standard Delaine Association, writing in 1890: 

The demand of the times calls for a plain liodv "growing a Delaine staple. 
Long experience teaches us that it is almost impossible to keep up density 
and weight of fleece to give the best results when wrinkles are entirely done 
away with ; for this reason it is important to stay in the blood of wrinkly 
.sheep in selecting the sires, yet striving to keep the body clear of wrinkles 
and the neck nearly so. It is proposed to pay more attention to a good 
broad back and deep, round quarters, making a type easily kept in order. 




Fk;. 159. Wonderful 700, a Dickinson De- 
laine Merino ram bred by H. G. McDowell, 
Canton, Ohio. Grand-champion Delaine 
ram at the World's Columbian E.xposition, 
Chicago, 1S93. Photograph from the owner 



THE DELAINE MERINO 



361 



While the fleece will not be as heavy as in the wrinkly type, it should weigh 
from seven to nine pounds, and sell without any reduction. This will equal 
an oily fleece of twelve to fourteen pounds, with a third taken off by the 
wool buyer. Plain sheep, as a rule, are better milkers, more careful mothers, 
have better feet, and are the easier to prepare for the butcher's block. 

Sheep of this variety should have a staple three inches long 
for twelve months' growth. Rams at maturity should weigh at 
least 150 pounds and ewes not less than 100 pounds. 

The Black Top Spanish Merino. The foundation of this variety 
extends back to the 1802 importation of Colonel Humphreys. 
Mr. W. R. Dickinson of Ohio, about 1809, purchased of Thomas 
Rotch some sheep of Humphreys's importation. In Dickinson's 




Fig. 160. A group of l»ickiiison Delaine AJeiiiio ewes bred by Mr. fi. G. 
McDowell and very typical of this family. Photograph from the owner 

hands these sheep were bred with some care for about twenty 
years. In 182 i William Berry of Washington County, Pennsyl- 
vania, purchased from Mr. Dickinson a few ewes and a choice ram 
of Spanish breeding. These sheep Mr. Berry bred with care, 
developing a large flock. Mr. Berry bred his flock in family lines 
at first, and then crossed the families, endeavoring to produce a 
large, heavy-shearing, fine-wool sheep with smooth body of mutton 
value. In his breeding he decided that those sheep with the 
darkest outer covering of wool or most oil had the hardiest con- 
stitutions and most vigor, and were less" affected by change of 
climate than those with fleeces of lighter color. Thus he selected 
the darker sort and termed these Black Tops. In 1847 his flock 
numbered about 500 head, when he divided equally between 



362 SHEEP 

his sons, Matthew and Wilham, they taking choice alternately. 
Matthew Berry maintained his flock in pure Black Top lines, 
while William bred likewise until 1856, when he introduced Ver- 
mont Merino blood, with inferior results, which finally caused him 
to dispose of his flock. The flocks of William Berry and his sons, 
notably Matthew, are the foundation of this family. 

The Improved Black Top Merino is a family that has its founda- 
tion in ten ewes purchased in 1 844 of George Craighead by Robert 
Johnston of Washington County, Pennsylvania. These ewes were 
bred to Craighead rams until 1847, after which, till 1853, rams 
bred by Alexander McConnell were used, the latter obtaining his 
foundation stock from W. R. Dickinson. From 1853 to 1867 Mr. 
Johnston used only pure Black Top rams in his flock, and from 
1867 to 1884 used rams bought from Matthew Berry. In 1850 
George Black of Washington County, Pennsylvania, purchased 
twenty-five Black Top ewes running back to Dickinson stock, and 
by use of Berry and Johnston and other rams, established a Black 
Top flock that is foundation stock in this family. This Black Top 
family has been assumed by its promoters to be more carefully 
selected and of higher standard than the Black Top Spanish. 

Characteristics of the Black Top Merino. It is difificult to dis- 
tinguish this from the Delaine, of which it is really a variety. 
The size is a trifle larger perhaps, and the fleece weighs a little 
heavier. The Improved Black Top standard requires a weight 
for mature rams of at least 1 80 pounds and 1 30 pounds for ewes. 
The Black Top also has a somewhat darker fleece on the outside, 
and is not quite so heavily wooled over the head as is the Delaine. 
The fleece should be from three to four inches long, and the rams 
should shear thirteen to fourteen pounds and the ewes seven to 
twelve pounds of brook-washed wool. The rams have horns while 
the ewes are hornless. P2mphasis is placed on the mutton char- 
acter of this family, which has long been bred with that feature 
in view. The I^lack Top has been likened to the Southdown in 
size and form, with the fleece of a Merino. The back is of good 
breadth, and is thickly fleshed, while the hind quarters are heavy 
and of mutton tyi)e. 

The maintenance of Delaine type in these varieties is by selec- 
tion or by introducing new blood. For example, one may visit the 



THE DELAINE MERINO 



;63 



flocks of prominent Merino breeders, in which both American and 
Delaine sheep are found. The former are mated with the latter, 
according to circumstances, in order to regulate type and wool 
production. If a Delaine ewe of ex'cellent mutton type has too 
open and light a fleece, she will be bred to an American ram of 
high wool-producing qualities, with the expectation of obtaining 
a Delaine with a better fleece. More folds may exist at the neck 



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Fig. i6i. A Black Top Merino ewe, first prize at the Oiiio State Fair, 1905. 
Exhibited by R. D. McGonigle & Sons of Ohio. Photograph froni the 
American Sheep Breeder 

and breast, but not enough to furnish serious objection on the 
part of the Delaine breeder. The important thing is to keep up 
the size and mutton form without reducing the amount and char- 
acter of the wool below a satisfactory grade. This calls for a 
fleece to grade XX or better and have a staple of superior length, 
diameter, strength, and crimp. There should also be plenty of free- 
flowing oil, essential for a high-grade fleece. 

The mutton value of the Delaine has long been emphasized, 
and is an important argument advanced by breeders in its behalf. 



364 



SHEEP 



The wethers mature fairly early and sell at a comparatively satis- 
factory price in the market, being in demand on account of usually 
being not over fat. They will not dress out quite so well as the 
true mutton type, but show a fair per cent of carcass to offal. In 
1882 McClelland Brothers of Pennsylvania sheared 100 three- 
year-old wethers that averaged eleven pounds washed Delaine 
wool, after which the sheep on the market weighed 1 10^ pounds 
each. In 1884, in Pittsburg market, James McClelland sold a 
car load of three-year-old wethers that averaged 1 14.V pounds 
and brought seven cents per ]')ound on the hoof. 

The breeding quality of the Delaine is distinctly superior to the 
American Merino. Breeders have sought to produce better breed- 
ing stock, — more prolific, larger milkers, and better mothers. 
This will apply generally to the Delaine type. The lambs also 
arc more robust at birth and more readily raised. 

The cross-bred or grade Delaine is valued on the range. Pure- 
bred rams used on range ewes give a better mutton sheep and 
are better suited to the range trade than where American Merino 
rams are used. Many Delaine rams have been shipped West for 
this purpose. 

The Delaine as a feeder ranks at the head of the Merino group, 
though not equal to the mutton breeds. The lambs at twelve months 
may be turned on the market, weighing eighty pounds or so. 

The adaptability of the Delaine is not eciual to that of the 
American Merino, for it lacks the rustling qualities to some 
extent. Delaines will do well in mountainous districts where 
grass is abundant ; in fact they have had their greatest develop- 
ment in the hills of Pennsylvania and Ohio. They also do well 
on rolling lands where food is abundant. 

The distribution of the Delaine is widespread in the United 
States, and is constantly growing. Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, 
New York, and Iowa have many flocks, notably the two former 
states. The Black Top is found more especially in Pennsylvania 
and the Dickinson in Ohio. The distribution of the smooth- 
bodied Merino is sure to grow in favor, on account of the ease of 
shearing and the objection to the American Merino on this point. 

Organizations to promote the Delaine Merino began in 1882 
with the Victor-Beall Delaine Merino Sheep Breeders' Association 



THE DELAINE M1':R1N0 



;65 



established in Pennsylvania. In 1887 this name was changed 
to the National Delaine Merino Sheep Breeders' Association. In 
1890 the Standard Delaine Spanish Merino Sheep Breeders' 
Association was organized in Pennsylvania, and the same year 
the Improved Delaine Merino Sheep Breeders' Association was 
incorporated in Ohio. In 1882 the Ohio Spanish Delaine Merino 
Sheep Breeders' Association was also organized. In 1883 the 
Black Top Spanish Merino Sheep Breeders organized in Wash- 
ington County, Penns}lvania, and in 1885 the Improved Black 
Top Merino Association organized in the same state. In 1884 
the Dickinson Delaine Merino Sheep Breeders' Association was 
organized in Ohio. These several Delaine associations have pub- 
lished a few flock books and have registered several thousand 
sheep. In January, 1906, a conference of Delaine Merino 
breeders, members of different registry associations, met at 
Columbus, Ohio, and engaged in extended discussion of the 
wisdom of a consolidation of Merino sheep registry associations. 
As a result of this meeting, directly following the conference, the 
Improved Delaine, Standard Delaine, and International Delaine 
Sheep Associations consolidated into the American Delaine- 
Merino Record Association. The object of the new association 
is to promote the purity of breeding, registering, and preserving 
the American Merino sheep, in accordance with the types A, B, 
and C. The new association secures a combined membership 
from the three old ones of sev'eral hundred persons. It is antici- 
pated that still other associations will unite with the new one 
and thus reduce the number in the field and so simplify the 
business of registration. 



CHAPTER XLVIII 

THE RAMBOUILLET 

The native home of the Rambouillet is in France, in the north- 
ern part, not far from Paris. The country is gently rolhng, the 
soil is generally of a calcareous nature, and the climate is quite 
temperate, being warm in summer and not severe in winter. 
Grasses, wheat and oats, and a variety of crops grow in this region. 

The ancestry of the Rambouillet is Spanish, this being a mem- 
ber of the great Merino family. The people of Spain in early 
days produced more wool than their factories could consume, so 
the surplus was exported, France buying heavily. The French 




i'lc. 102. A digniried gateway on the government tarm at Rambouillet, 
France. Photograph by the author 

government anticipated an increase of factories in Spain and con- 
sequent restriction on exports of wool from that country. This 
led the P'^rench to try to improve their flocks and produce enough 
fine wool at home to meet domestic demands. In 1 783 Louis XVI 

366 



THE RAMBOUILLET 



Z^7 



of France bought a large estate at the village of Rambouillet, some 
forty miles west of Paris, and here he established a farm. In 1786 
M. Gilbert was sent to Spain and selected a flock of Spanish 
Merinos representing several different families, landing 366 at 
Rambouillet, 318 being ewes. In 1799 Gilbert again went to 




Fig. 163. One of the sheep barns on the government farm at Rambouillet, 
France. Photograph by the author 

Spain, where after much difficulty another collection was secured, 
of which 237 reached Rambouillet in May, 1801. According to 
Gilbert, who collected these sheep, and died in Spain while doing 
the work, the second lot was not the equal of the first. 

The improvement of the Rambouillet in the hands of the 
French go\-ernment dates back over a century, resulting in a 
smooth-bodied sheep of large size. Much of this development of 
over a hundred years has undoubtedly been accomplished by 
selection. During the time France has bred these sheep many 
careful records have been made of weights of the sheep and 
fleece, of length and diameter of wool, of fecundity, mutton devel- 
opment, etc. Probably no other such extensive records regarding 
a breed are extant. The results of the work were a gradual in- 
crease in size, in weight and quality of fleece, in a better mutton 
form, and in more hardiness than had their Spanish ancestors. 
While the claim has been made that the stock at Rambouillet has 



368 SHKKP 

been kept pure, in 1900 the author saw rams in the government 
flock, heavy with folds, quite Spanish in character, and quite 
different from the proper French type. The Rambouillet Merino 
was also developed by private parties in France and Germany. 
In 1800, M. Victor Gilbert of Wideville, France, started a flock 
from one ram and eight ewes bought of the government, and this 
flock was maintained in the same family by his son and grandson, 
Victor, for a century. In northern Germany the breed was later 
introduced and was much developed, notably in the region south 
of the Baltic Sea and north and northeast of Berlin. Baron 
F. \'on Ilomeyer of Ranzin, Bomerania, became the greatest 
German improver and increased the size, and weight and quality 
of fleece. Mr. W. G. Markham of New York State in 1880, 
when on a visit to wool-producing countries, inspected the Von 
Ilomeyer flock and looked on it with much favor. In 1882 he 
received a gift of a ram and two ewes from Von Homeyer, and 
these were the first of this German breeding to be brought 
to America. In 1885 Markham received seven rams from the 
same source, two of which were shipped to Michigan where they 
produced material improvement in the flocks where used. I11 
1 89 1 some Michigan breeders imported seven rams and si.xtcen 
ewes from the Von Homeyer flock, and these were distributed 
among the Rambouillet men of Michigan. In 1893 Mr. Markham 
supervised an exhibit of Von Homeyer sheep at the World's 
Columbian Exposition at Chicago which attracted widespread 
attention from their great size and superior merit. This family 
of Merinos is now extensively bred in German\-. 

The introduction of the Rambouillet to the United States first 
occurred in 1 840, under the name of French Merino, by which 
title it was generally known until about 1889. The first importa- 
tion appears to have been made in 1840 by D. C. Collins of 
Hartford, Connecticut, consisting of two rams and twenty ewes 
from the government flock of I'rance. The head ram, named 
Grandee, sheared fourteen pounds and was regarded as a very 
fine specimen. In 1846 this flock with its increase was sold to 
parties in Vermont. In May, 1846, John A. Taintor of Connecti- 
cut imported two rams and seven ewes which he purchased 
of Victor Gilbert. Following this, Taintor made several other 



THE RAMBOUILLET 



369 



importations. In 1848 John D. Patterson of Westfield, New 
York, on the western border of that state, made an importation 
including many superior sheep, his ewes weighing from 120 to 
150 pounds and some of his rams up to 300 pounds. In 185 i 
F. IM. Rotch of New York is said to have made an importation with 
Taintor of Connecticut. That same year S. VV. Jewett of Middle- 
bury, Vermont, imported eighteen rams and eighty-two ewes from 
Victor Gilbert, and George Campbell of Westminster, Vermont, 




Fig. 104. A I'.uiiljuuilltjt rum, ><_-cuud in tki-^ dt the •_'hii> Statu l-'aii", ig05. 
Bred and e.xhibited by Max Chapman, Marysville, Ohio. Photograph 
by the author 

also made an importation. This same year a company of Ohio 
breeders imported about 50 head selected from private flocks in 
France by A. P. Howard. Some of the present Ohio flocks trace 
back to this importation as well as to a later one of 188 1. In 
185 I Mr. R. C. Moulton of Ohio, now over eighty years old, estab- 
lished his flock of French Merinos, which has been maintained 
by him ever since, this probably being the oldest flock under one 
management in the country. In 1855 A. R. Seymour of Fayette 



370 



SHEEP 



County, Ohio, bought two rams and twenty-five ewes of Jewett. 
Along about 1855 a Mr. Downs of Calhoun County, Michigan, 
bought a few of the Patterson sheep. The claim has been made 
that a Mr. Stanton of Michigan purchased from Mr. Patterson, 
from which stock has descended the fiocks of some of the promi- 
nent Michigan breeders, but a letter before the writer, written by 
Mr. Patterson in 1893, does not corroborate this claim. Between 
1856 and i860 most of the sheep owned by the latter gentleman 
were sold to parties in California, from which stock the French 
Merino sheep of the Pacific slope states descend. The Blaco- 
Glidc flock of California is said to trace back to this Patterson 

blood. What are now 
known as Franco-Merinos 
trace back into early 
Michigan flocks of years 
ago. These early French 
Merinos were not the suc- 
cess anticipated, not being 
hardy nor suited to Amer- 
ican conditions, and the 
interest declined along in 
the si.xties, to be revived 
about thirty years later. 
Many large importations 
have been made during 
the past ten years and 
notably about 1900. 
Characteristics of the Rambouillet. This variety or family of 
Merino does not differ so essentially in appearance from the 
Delaine, except in size and breeding. The head is large, the nose 
covered with white silky hair, and the ears are inclined to be 
large and are covered with fine white hair or short fine wool. The 
rams usually have large, spirally turned horns, but there are also 
hornless males and the females are hornless. The wool is fairly 
compact and long, averaging about three inches, and covers the 
entire body, extending over the face below the eyes and down the 
legs to the toes in good specimens. The exterior appearance is 
of a sheep of good size, covered with a fine, rather white fleece, 




Fig. 165. A Rambouillet ram, imported bv 
Dwight Lincoln, Milford Center, Ohio. 
Photograph by the author 



THE RAMBOUILLET 37 1 

and freer from oil or dark coloring than is the Delaine, while 
folds occur on the neck and breast but rarely on the body or 
hind quarters. One is impressed at times with a tendency to 
coarseness of bone and length of leg. 

The size of the Rambouillet averages larger than any of the 
other Merinos; in fact years ago they were nicknamed "Elephant 
Merinos." The rams will average about 185 pounds at maturity 
and the ewes 150 to 160. Some rams are said to have weighed 
over 300 pounds, and cases are know^n of ewes weighing about 
250 pounds. The ram Matchless, imported by George Campbell 
in 185 I from the Gilbert flock, weighed 261 pounds. Mr. Max 




Fig. 166. A pair of Rambouillet rams, the prupeily of Henri Gilbert, 
Wideville, France. These sheep had been shorn but a few weeks 
previous to the time the author took the photograph 

Chapman of Ohio bred the ram Sampson, which weighed 280 
pounds at twenty months old, and the ewe Bernice, which at 
three years weighed 244 pounds. 

The Rambouillet as a mutton producer ranks very well, though 
inferior to the mutton breeds. It will mature fairly rapidly and 
will produce a class of mutton which will sell well, though it is 
not of the highest quality. This is the only class of Merinos 
offered a place for exhibition at the International Live Stock 
Exposition, a testimonial to the mutton value of the wethers. 
In the Iowa experiments on fattening wether lambs, in the one 
trial reported, the Rambouillet made an average daily gain of 
.37 pound, requiring 1029 pounds dry matter for 100 pounds 
gain. In the carcass test the Rambouillet dressed out the poorest 



372 



SHEEP 



of ten breeds, 49.57 per cent, compared with 55.26 for the 
Southdown, and was priced at $5.00 per hundred Hve weight, 
compared with i^5.75 for the Southdown. 

The Rambouillet as a wool producer ranks well. In 1838, on 
the farm at Rambouillet, 40 rams yielded an average fleece of 
10 pounds 4 ounces, and 201 ewes and 85 lambs an average of 
7 pounds. The years 1847, 1869, and 1877 saw a gradual 
improvement in weight and quality of fleece, the latter year 1 5 
adult rams averaging 16 pounds 9.3 ounces weight of fleece, 
and 521 ewes of various ages 10 pounds 3.1 ounces. At the 
present time it is doubtful if the average ram will shear over 
15 pounds and the average ewe over 10 pounds, but this, of 
course, does not apply to flocks as carefully bred as that at 
Rambouillet. Mr. Max Chapman of Ohio reports that the 
ewe Hiawatha bred by him produced one year 29 pounds of 
unwashed wool. The fleece of this breed is not quite so fine 
as that of the other Merinos and also shows somewhat less of 
oil and crimj:). 

Cross-bred or grade Rambouillet sheep are best known on the 
western range, where for some years large numbers of pure-bred 
rams have been shipped from Ohio and Michigan for use on 
native stock. This gives a larger, better mutton type, with a 
strong constitution, and at the same time increases the fleece 
value. Not only this, but the smooth-bodied grade is more in 
favor with the shearer on the range than the smaller, more 
wrinkled sort. Vermont breeders in the past have used Ram- 
bouillet rams on American ewes to produce large, vigorous rams 
suited to the southwestern trade. 

The breeding qualities of the Rambouillet rank well. For 
twelve years preceding 1881 Bernardin, then in charge of the 
government flock in France, reports that 4005 ewes were re- 
served for breeders, of which 83.1 per cent were productive, the 
83.1 ewes dropping 92 lambs, including twins. In the author's 
e.vperience with the Rambouillet, covering ten years, the ewes 
were prolific breeders, frequently dropping twins, and were un- 
usually good mothers, having large udders and producing much 
milk. One objection to some of the ewes was too large a teat. 
The udders averaged larger than with any other breed of sheep 



THE RAMBOUILLET 



37. 



in the personal acquaintance of the author. Owing to their 
natural \igor the ewes breed to a ripe old age. 

The hardy quality of the Rambouillet is worthy of note. 
Formerl}-, when the French Merino was introduced, many found 
it unsuited to American conditions. The last quarter of a cen- 
tury, however, has shown that the Rambouillet has excellent 
wearing qualities, certainly surpassing the mutton breeds. In 
winter the writer has found them comparatively free from 
catarrh, while in summer on the same pasture with sheep badly 
suffering with stomach worms the Rambouillet seemed com- 
paratively free from the 
serious effects of the 
parasite. 

The early maturity of 
the Rambouillet from the 
standpoint of Merino de- 
velopment is distinctly in 
its favor. The lambs come 
on rapidly and compare 
favorably with the mutton 
breeds. 

The distribution of the 
Rambouillet is very wide- 
spread. It is extensively 
bred in France, Germany, 
Russia, and other coun- 
tries of continental Europe 
and has been exported heavily to Australia, Argentine Repub- 
lic, and the United States. In South America there are large 
flocks of choice breeding. In the United States this Merino is 
exten.sively distributed from the Atlantic to the Pacific, but is 
found in pure-bred flocks to a notable degree in Ohio, Michigan, 
Oregon, Washington, California, and Utah, though excellent flocks 
occur in other states. 

Organizations to promote Rambouillet sheep were first estab- 
lished when the American Rambouillet Sheep Breeders' Asso- 
ciation was organized in 1889 at Pontiac, Michigan. Volume I 
of the flock book was published in 1891, and up to 1905 seven 




Fig. 167. A Rambouillet ewe, second in class 
at the Ohio State Fair, 1905. Bred and 
exhibited by Ma.x Chapman. Photograph 
by the author 



374 



SHia':p 



volumes have been issued. In 1901 the Von Homeyer Associa- 
tion of Rambouillet Sheep was organized, this registering only 
sheep of breeding tracing to the Von Homeyer flock. This 
association has issued one small flock book. There is also a 
Franco- American Merino Association, organized in 1900, in which 
blood lines combine the Rambouillet and American Merino. 

Prices of interest for Rambouillet sheep date back for over 
half a century. In 1853 John D. Patterson of New York pur- 
chased a ram in France for $600, from the flock of M. Cugnot. 
He also paid Victor Gilbert $400 each for two rams. In the late 
fifties, when Mr. Patterson sold his sheep to California buyers, 
it is reported that he received $1500 each for three rams, $1000 
for one, $800 apiece for two, and for eighteen others, prices 
ranging from $300 to $700. P'ourteen ewes also brought $4500, 
or an average of $321 per head. These probably represent the 
highest prices brought by individuals of this breed, either in 
America or Europe. A. L. Bingham of Vermont, between 1847 
and 1853, paid John A. Taintor $37,500 for 161 French Merinos, 
or about $232 a head. The more modern Rambouillet has never 
brought such high prices, although some rams in recent years 
have sold for as much as $300 each. 



CHAPTER XLIX 

THE MUrrON TYPE OF SHEEP 

The mutton breeds of sheep comprise two groups known 
as the middle or medium wool and the long wool. While the 
breeds within these groups materially differ in character, what is 
known as the mutton type or form is essentially the same with 
each of these groups. 

The general mutton conformation embodies the feature of the 
best beef type, involving the compact, blocky form, the short 
head and neck, broad, level back, full, heavy leg of mutton, deep 
body, and short legs. 

The head is short, the mouth of ample size, nostrils large, nose 
short and strong and often Roman with males, the eyes bright 
and prominent, the forehead broad, the poll neat, and the ears 
refined, short, and actively carried, indicating quality. Horns 
do not as a rule prevail in this type and are not a necessary 
consideration. 

The neck should be full and smoothly muscled, of fair depth, 
level and short on top, and should blend in neatly at head and 
merge nicely at the shoulder and neck vein. 

The sJiojildcr is valuable for mutton, and should be neatly 
placed with the blades not prominent at the top, this entire part 
being smoothly covered with flesh. 

The breast on a superior mutton sheep is thick in front, and 
the brisket is prominent and well rounded out, this showing a 
vigorous constitution and strong fleshing qualities. The whole 
front of the bosom should show a fullness and smoothness in 
all the lines. 

The cJicst is most important, containing as it does the vital 
organs, so that both thickness and depth are essential and in 
keeping with the properly developed breast. The withers on top 
must have width and be smoothly covered, and then further down 

37 5 



?>1(^ 



SHEEP 



well-rounded crops and full front flanks are to be looked for. 
Sunken crops and high front flanks indicate lack of constitution 
and poor feeding character. 

The front legs should be wide and heavily muscled of arm, the 
shank bones fine and short, the joints and pasterns strong. The 
entire leg viewed from front or side must show good form and 
strength, the knees not coming close together, and the feet prop- 
erly pointing straight ahead. Weak pasterns frequently occur with 
mutton sheep, a feature to be avoided in selecting breeding rams. 

The back and loin contain the valuable cuts, so that strength, 
width, and thickness are highly essential at all times. Breadth and 
levelness of back are emphasized, with some closeness of coupling. 




Fig. i68. First-prize pen of Southdown yearling wethers at Koyal .'vgncuhural 
Society of England Show, 1903. Bred and exhibited by C. Adeane, 
Cambridge. This picture shows the mutton form in its highest perfec- 
tion. Photograph from F. N. Webb, Agent, Cambridge, England 

The body to have ample cai)acity requires a str(jng arch and 
depth of rib, thus giving depth and thickness, invariably asso- 
ciated with the best type. A short body, at least with the male 
or feeder, is much preferred to a long one. 

The Jiips should be inconspicuous, though not narrow, and 
should be smoothly covered. 

The rump requires length, breadth, and levelness, with a full 
covering of flesh. Instead of this we too frequently find the 
peaked, narrow, droopy rump with low-set tail, an ill form either 
for meat production or in relation to the proper conformation in 
connection with the reproductive function. 

The thigJis should be thick from behind, very full and low in 
between at the twist, and, as viewed from one side, very wide and 



THE MUTION IVPE OF SHEEP 



377 



carried strongly back. The entire upper thigh should be heavily 
covered with flesh. The lower thigh, above the hock, must show 
strength and neatness. 

The Jiocks should be straight and strong with ample space 
between. If the hocks take a correct position, then the legs will 
probably do likewise. Crooked hocks, however, are a common and 
weak formation and are to be guarded against in breeding stock. 
The legs below the hocks should be straight, short, and strong. 

The skin is a quite variable feature on mutton sheep. A 
bright pink is the ideal color, with the skin mellow and yet firm, 
this showing the most healthy condition. Instead of this the 
skin is frequently of a bluish-white cast or appears too white. 
A somewhat mottled or bluish-white color also occurs with some 
individuals or breeds. There are differences of views as to the 
significance of skin color. No doubt the bluish tint of the 
Shropshire or Oxford skin is one of inheritance and does not 
necessarily signify poor condition. The clear pink skin, however, 
is preferable. 

T\vQ, flesJiing of the mutton type calls for a smooth, uniformly 
covered, deep layer of high-class mutton without wads of fat or 
patchiness on sides or rump. Such a sheep with the fleece 
removed would be beautiful in the general symmetry of outline, 
whether in moderate flesh or fed for slaughter. 

The ivool of the mutton type ranges in length from that of the 
Merino to some ten or possibly more inches for a year's growth. 
The fleece does not cover the body so compactly as with the fine 
wool, but in this respect, that of the medium class greatly 
excels the long wool which is the most open of all. The fibers 
range in character from those which are fine and have con- 
siderable crimp to those which are long and wavy, with little 
or no real crimp. A bright fiber with brilliant luster is sought 
for. Uniformity of covering is important in length, fineness, 
and diameter of staple. The entire body, including the belly 
and armpits, should be covered with a compact fleece. The 
covering on head or legs varies with the breed. Hair (kemp) or 
abnormal color of wool fiber are distinctly objectionable. The oil 
or yolk should be of moderate abundance, keeping the wool in a 
healthy condition. 



CHAPTER L 

THE SOUTHDOWN 

The native home of the Southdown breed is in southeastern 
England in the county of Sussex, which is bordered on the south 
by the Enghsh Channel. Extending east and west through this 
region is a range of low chalky hills about sixty miles long and 
from one to six or eight miles wide, known as the South Downs. 
These hills, which also occur in Kent, Hampshire, and Dorset, 
grow a short, fine herbage, while wheat is a leading cereal crop, 
though roots do well under suitable conditions on the lower-lying 
lands. The climate is mild and balmy, being tempered by the sea. 

The original stock from which the Southdown sprung, the 
native Sussex sheep, was somewhat small, had dark face and 
legs, occasionally small horns, was long and thin in the neck, 
light in the fore quarter with narrow, droopy back, the body lack- 
ing rib, and the hind quarter having a thick leg of mutton with 
the bone generally too coarse. The wool also was short and the 
fleece thin. 

The important early improvers of the Southdown were John 
Ellman and Jonas Webb. Other men assisted in the improve- 
ment of the breed, but these two stand out in bold relief among 
the great improvers of sheep. 

John Ellman lived at Glynde near Lewes, Sussex County, 
England. He was the first improver of Southdown sheep. He 
began his work about 1775, and resided on the same farm and 
bred Southdowns continuously for over fifty years. Ellman saw 
the necessity of improving the native Sussex sheep, to secure a 
stronger constitution, a better mutton form, and ease of fattening, 
with a smaller per cent of offal in killing. He sought the best 
sheep wherever obtainable and made rapid improvement of the 
breed. A son of Mr. Ellman, also a prominent breeder in his 
day, especially credited his father with improvements made in 

378 



THE SOUTHDOWN 



379 



the Southdown neck and fore quarters. Ellman very generally 
improved the sheep, creating a superior mutton beast, and also 
greatly adding to the thickness and quality of the fleece. He 
demonstrated that the breed could be heavily stocked on the 
land. In 178S Arthur Young wrote, "Mr. Ellman, on 500 
acres, has 700 ewes, lambs, and wethers in winter, and 1450 of 
all sorts in summer, besides 140 head of cattle." Ellman is 
universally regarded as the greatest of early sheep improvers, 




Fig. 169. Babraham Ciiampioii, liisl-prize and reserve-champion SouUidown 
ram at the Royal Agricultural Society of England Show In 1901. Also 
won the Blythwood Challenge Bowl for the best Southdown of either sex 
at the O.xfordshire Show. Bred and owned by C. Adeane, Babraham, 
Cambridge, England, and used in the famous Babraham flock in 1901 and 
1902. Photograph from F. N. Webb, -Agent, Cambridge, England 

unless we except Bake well. In 1829 he retired and dispersed 
his flock of about 1400 head, of which 241 were wether lambs. 
Mr. Ellman died in 1832. 

Jonas Webb of Babraham, Cambridge, England, built on the 
Southdown model of Ellman. He began breeding about 1821 
and purchased the best sheep he could buy, regardless of price. 
These he mated with much wisdom, improving the Southdown 
into the very best-known type of mutton sheep, — symmetrical, 



38o 



SHEEP 



an easy feeder, and unsurpassed in quality of flesh and dressing out 
at killing. Southdovvns of his breeding possessed more size than 
did those of Ellman. He began letting out rams in 1823, and 
about 1846 was placing out 200 annually. For years his ram 
sales and letting out sales were important events. He was a most 
successful exhibitor, and in 1856 won a special gold medal for 
his Southdown exhibit at the International Exposition at Paris, 
France. The Wel)b flock was dispersed in 1862, but Mr. C. 
Adcane, who now occupies Babraham, is one of England's best- 
known breeders and exhibitors of Southdowns. 

The breeding of the Southdown by the English nobility has 
long been noteworthy. In the time of Ellman, George the Third 




Fig. 170. Chichester King 65, 17434, tirstprize and champion Southdown 
ram in 1904 at the Louisiana Purchase E.xposition and at various 
state fairs. Owned and exhibited by George INIcKerrow of Wisconsin. 
Piiotograph by the author 



became interested in this breed, which ever since has been main- 
tained on the royal estates. The present king, Edward VH, 
has for years had a fine flock. Lord Walsingham has long 
been a prominent breeder, while the estate of the Duke of 
Richmond has for over a century bred Southdowns ; so also 



THE SOUTHDOWN 



381 




have the Duke of Hamilton, Duke of Marlborough, Viscount 
Hampden, and numerous others. 

The introduction of the Southdown to America without doubt 
dates back to colonial days, and it has been assumed that the 
best sheep of Rhode Island and eastern Connecticut were of 
this breed. In 1803 a Dr. Rose of Fayette, Seneca County, 
New York, is said to have commenced with a small flock of 
Southdowns which did 
remarkably well. In 1 8 1 3 
these were crossed with 
Spanish Merinos. In 1823 
Sidney Hawes of New 
York imported some 
Southdowns, and sold 
thirty-six ewes, two rams, 
and ten wethers to C. N. 
Bement of Albany, who 
kept up his flock many 
years. In 1834 Francis 
Rotch of Otsego County, 
New York, imported si.K 
ewes and a ram from the 
flock of T. Ellman, the son 
of John. Following this 
he made several other importations from the most noted English 
flocks. In 1834 Isaac Maynard of Coshocton County brought 
some Southdowns to Ohio, while in 1844 J. F. King of Warren 
began breeding from Jonas Webb stock, imported by J. M. Hesless 
of Trumbull County, Ohio. With the depreciation in Merino inter- 
ests Southdowns grew in favor east of the Mississippi, and many 
flocks were established along in the middle of the last century. 

The characteristics of the Southdown as described by Ellman 
merit reproduction here on account of their source and their 
considerable application to the breed to-day. 

The head small and hornless ; the face speckled or gray, and neither too 
long nor too short ; the lips thin, and the space between the nose and eyes 
narrow ; the under jaw or chap fine and thin ; the ears tolerably wide and 
well covered with wool, and the forehead also, and the whole space between 



Fig. 171. CulfordEwe 18530, grand-champion 
Southdown ewe at the Louisana Purchase 
E.xposition, 1904. Owned and exhibited by 
W. A. McKerrow, Wisconsin. Pliotograph 
by the author 



382 



SHEEP 



the ears well protected by it, as a defense against the fly. The eye full and 
bright but not prominent ; the orbit of the eye, the eye cap or bone, not 
too projecting, that it may not form a fatal obstacle in lambing. 

The neck of a medium length, thin toward the head, but enlarging toward 
the shoulders, where it should be broad and high, and straiglit in its wliole 
course above and below. The breast should be wide, deep, and projecting 
forward between the fore legs, indicating a good constitution and a disposi- 
tion to thrive. Corresponding with this, the shoulders should be on a level 
with the back and not too wide above ; they should bow outward from the 
top to the breast, indicating a springing rib beneath, and leaving room for 
it. The ribs coming out horizontally from the spine and extending back- 
ward, and the last rib projecting more than others, the back flat from the 
shoulders to the setting on of the tail; the loin broad and flat; the rump 
broad and the tail set on high and nearly on a level with the spine. The 
hips wide, the space between them and the last rib on either side as narrow 
as possible, and the ribs generally presenting a circular form like a barrel. 
The belly as straight as the back. 

The legs neither too long nor too short ; the fore legs straight from the 
breast to the foot, not bending inward at the knee, and standing far apart 
both before and behind ; the hock having a direction rather outward, and 
the twist, or the meeting of the thighs behind, being particularly full, the 
bones fine, yet having no appearance of weakness, and of a speckled or 
dark color. 

The belly well defended with wool and the wool coming down before and 
beliind to the knee and hock ; the wool short, close, curled, and fine, and 
free from spiry projecting fibers. 

All of the above essentially applies to the modern Southdown 
type excepting color. This is to-day of a rather grayish brown 
or reddish brown as shown on face, ear, and leg — of a much 
lighter shade than the Shropshire. The fleece has also undoubt- 
edly been improved in its density, length, and quality over what 
it was in Ellman's time. The breed is noted for its quiet, docile 
temperament. 

The size of the Southdown is inferior, ranking as essentially 
the smallest of the middle-wool class. Yet the compactness of 
the breed is so distinct that the individuals weigh very heavy for 
their size. The mature rams will average about 175 pounds 
and the ewes 135. George McKerrow of Wisconsin, a leading 
Southdown breeder and importer, reports the following average 
weights of specimens of the breed, weighed about September i, 
1889 : Two two-year-old rams, 206 pounds each ; three yearling 
rams, 1530 pounds each ; two aged ewes, 150 pounds each ; four 



THE SOUTHDOWN 



383 



yearling ewes, 134! pounds each; March lambs, 10 1 J pounds 
each. The heaviest yearling weighed 161 pounds and the 
heaviest lamb 1 10 pounds. These weights however are much 
above the usual. 

The Southdown for mutton, since its early improvement, has 
held premier place in the best markets. There is no excessive 
fat on the average fed carcass, the flesh is of the finest flavor 
and grain, the offal is comparatively small, and the bone is fine. 

The Southdown as a feeder is superior, maturing rapidly and 
making a large gain for food consumed. In feeding experiments 
at the Iowa experiment station Southdown wether lambs in one 




Fig. 172. A pen of three Southdown ewe lambs, first prize in class at the 
Royal Agricultural Society of England Show, 1901. Bred and exhibited 
by C. Adeane, Babraham, Cambridge, England. Photograph from F. N, 
Webb, Agent, Cambridge 



trial gained a daily average of .45 pound, and in a second .35 
pound, it requiring 738 pounds dry matter for lOO pounds gain 
in the first trial and 989 pounds in the second. In percentage of 
dressed carcass the lambs in the first trial dressed 55.4 per cent, 
and in the second 55.26 per cent, averaging higher than any 
other of 10 breeds, while the carcass also brought in each trial 
the highest price per 100 pounds. At the Ontario Agricultural 
College the average weight of the best fat shorn Southdown 
grade wethers at 445 days was 185 pounds, the mean weight of 
all the Southdown wethers 167 pounds, while the daily gain per 
head was .33 pound. Wallace reports that fat wethers rising 
two years old, belonging to the Earl of Bathurst and sold in 



384 SHEEP 

Cirencester market in the first week in December, 1884, dressed 
138 pounds per carcass, or 34.5 pounds per quarter dead \vei<^ht, 
and yielded 65.83 per cent dressed weight. In 1899, at the 
Smithfield Club Show, the heaviest pen of Southdown wether 
lambs a\'cra;;cd 161 pounds each. 

The Southdown cross-bred or grade has long met with great 
favor in the mutton market. In fact the Southdown has played 
a leading part in forming several breeds, notably the Shropshire, 
Hampshire, and Oxford, though it has been used more or less on 
other breeds to improve the fleshing and maturing qualities. 
Grade lambs, the result of Southdown rams on common ewes 
of the Merino type or of middle-wool form, will always be in 
comparatively high demand by butchers. 

The adaptability of the Southdown to a variety of conditions 
is very fair. On rolling land, and even on hilly land producing 
plenty of pasture, they do well. On the slightly rolling, well- 
drained lands of the central West they seem to thrive, while in 
the South this has been one of the best-known breeds. They 
graze well and are equally hardy with most middle-wool sheep. 

The breeding qualities of the Southdown are about average. 
In 1856 Professor Wilson of Scotland wrote, "The ewes are 
very ]:>rolific and are excellent mothers, commonly rearing 120 
or 130 lambs to the 100 ewes." In recent years, as compared 
with the Shropshire, the breed cannot be regarded as superior in 
fecundity. The ewes, however, make good mothers and have a 
fair flow of milk. 

The Southdown as a wool sheep occupies a subordinate place. 
The fieccc is short, averaging perha])s two and one half inches 
long, and, although the finest of the native British breeds, weighs 
light, an average yield for a flock being less than for any other 
common breed. Wallace gives the weight of fleece of a ewe 
from three to four pounds, and Shaw from five to seven. In 
1 89 1 General C. M. Clay, who bred Southdowns on a large 
scale in Kentucky for over fifty consecutive years, wrote that he 
had " raised wool from three and one half pounds to seven on an 
average." While the fleece is usually very fine, its short length, 
freedom from yolk, and small size of sheep combine to produce 
a fleece not weighing much over five or six pounds. 



THE SOUTHDOWN 



385 



The principal criticism of the Southdown on the part of the 
American farmer is the lack of wool production as well as insuf- 
ficient size, though the size is not a serious objection. Wallace, 
a leading Scotch authority of to-day, says, " They are not good 
rent payers, except in their native district, being too small and 
also liable to foot rot." Notwithstanding the intrinsic merit and 
value of this breed, until it presents more scale and fleece it 
will not succeed in meeting equal favor in America with the 
Shropshire, Oxford, or Hampshire. 

The distribution of the Southdown is world-wide. It has been 
exported from England into almost every country of Europe, 




Fig. 173. A pen of three Southdown wether lambs, winners of first prize at the 
Smithfield Show, London, 1903. At 10 months of age these lambs averaged 
154-; pounds each. Bred and exhibited by C. Adeane, Babraham, Cam- 
bridge, England. Photograph from F. N. Webb, Agent, Cambridge 

Africa, Australia, and America where civilization and sheep 
husbandry at all prevail. Even as late as 1903 exports were 
made to the United States, France, Russia, Australia, Argentine 
Republic, Chile, and Japan. Perhaps no breed of sheep during 
its career has had an equally wide distribution. In the United 
States Southdowns are recorded as bred in nearly fifty states, 
important flocks being kept in Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, 
Illinois, Wisconsin, Vermont, and Kentucky. The breed is also 
well represented in Canada, notably in Ontario. 

Organizations to promote Southdown sheep exist in England 
and America. The Southdown Sheep Society, with headquarters 
in London, England, published its first flock book in 1 893, and 



386 SHEEP 

up to 1905 has issued fourteen \-olumes. The American South- 
down Breeders' Association, organized in 1882, has published 
nine flock books and registered some 1 5,000 sheep. 

Notable prices for Southdown sheep have been paid since the 
days of Ellman, though the figures are not as large as those 
derived from Lincoln or Merino sales. In 1787 the first South- 
down ram to bring ten guineas ($50) was sold by Ellman to Lord 
Waldergrave. In 1794 the Earl of Egremont gave Ellman about 
$10 each for 50 ewes. In 1796 this same breeder sold a ram 
for 50 guineas, or $250. Later the Emperor of Russia and the 
Duke of Bedford each took two of Mr. Ellman's rams at 150 




Fig. 174. A group of Southdown ewes in pasture, owned by C. J. Stuckey, 
Mechanicsburg, Ohio. Photograph by the author 

guineas ($750) per head. In 1829, when the Ellman flock was 
dispersed, 36 rams averaged about $125 each. At the dispersal 
sales of Jonas Webb in 186 1 and 1862 there were sold 1404 
sheep at an average of ;^i i lys. 3^., almost $58 each, the highest 
price being for a ram, 260 guineas, or $1300. At the sales of 
Henry Webb in Cambridgeshire in 1889 and 1900, 745 rams and 
ewes averaged about $60 each, the top price being 210 guineas. 
In earlier days higher prices ruled for Southdowns in America 
than now. In 1856, at the sale of L. J. Morris, at Fordham, 
New York, the ewes averaged $150, and one imported ram 
brought $400. The ram Archbishop, bred by Jonas Webb, was 
imported by G. H. Brown and cost $1250. 



CHAPTER LI 



THE SHROPSHIRE] 



The native home of Shropshire sheep was in the counties of 
Shropshire and Stafford, England. The former is in central- 
western England, being bounded on the west by Wales, while 
Stafford lies just to the east of Shropshire. The country is 
pleasantly rolling, with some hilly features also, but furnishes 
excellent grass and pasture. The climate is moderate, is fairly 
free from heavy snow in winter, and is well suited to sheep. 

The origin of the Shrop- 
shire sheep is from several 
types of native sheep, on 
which Southdown, Leices- 
ter, and Cotswold blood 
was used. In 1803 Plym- 
ley, writing on the agri- 
culture of Shropshire, 
wrote of a breed on the 
Longmynd with horns and 
black faces, that seemed 
indigenous and hardy. A 
century ago in southern 
Shropshire, near Bridgnorth, on Morfe Common, as many as 
10,000 sheep were pastured in summer. It was a native breed, 
black faced, brown, or spotted faced, with horns, the ewes 
dressed weighing from nine to ten pounds per quarter, and 
wethers eleven to fourteen pounds after feeding, and clipping 
a fleece of about two pounds. On Cannock Chase in Stafford- 
shire was found a similar but somewhat larger, slow-maturing 
sheep, from which are descended some of the best Shropshire 
flocks of to-day. On Whittington Heath in Shropshire a type 
similar to that of Cannock Chase also existed and became 

387 




Fig. 175. A type of Shropshire ram of years 
ago. This illustration is reproduced from a 
photograph of a painting owned in England 



388 



shi:i:p 



amalgamated in the general improvement. The Southdown was 
used on these to secure quality, while the Leicester and Cotswold 
blood were used to obtain size and fleece, and from this combina- 
tion came the modern Shropshire, after a considerable process of 
selection. The breed is comparatively recent in its present char- 
acter, though Alfred Mansell says the best characteristics of the 
breed were present when the work of improvement was begun. 
As late as 1858 Professor Tanner wrote : 

Only a few years since any mention of the Shropshire Down sheep 
raised an inquiry, even among intellectual agriculturists, as to their charac- 
ter, and few, comparatively speaking, knew anything of them. 

Two early prominent improvers of the Shropshire are said to 
have been Samuel Meire of Berrington and later of Harley, 
near Shrewsbury, and George Adney, of Harley. Meire sought 
to remove the Shropshire coarseness and horns, and to improve 
the levelness of back and spring of rib, the obliqueness of 
shoulder, and breadth and fullness of rump. He purchased or 
hired Southdown rams from John Ellman of Glynde and used 
them in his flock. He also used Leicester blood with the pur- 
pose of getting better feeders and animals of shorter body. 
After securing his type he practiced the selection necessary to 
bring important improvement. Adney did not cross extensively, 
but a ram named I^uckskin, used in his flock, with Southdown 
blood in his veins, produced superior sheep, one of which, the 
ewe Old Patentee, was a famous dam and prize winner whose 
blood is prominent in the best early Shropshire pedigrees. 
Many of the best flocks of to-day trace to those of Meire 
and Adney. Other prominent breeders and improvers were 
G. M. Kettle of Dallicott, Henry Smith of Shifnal, Green of 
Marlow, Morton of Shrewsbury, and Farmer of Bridgnorth. 

Shropshires were first exhibited at the Royal Show in Eng- 
land in 1853, and in a few years it was the most prominent 
breed shown, 875 head being exhibited at the Shrewsbury Royal 
in 1884, comi)ared with 420 rejM-esenting all other breeds. 

The introduction of the Shropshire to America is comparatively 
recent. In i860 Samuel Sutton of Relay House, Maryland, 
imported 20 ewes and a ram, which the American Fanner for 



THE SHROPSHIRE 



389 



August, 1 86 1, states was the first Hock of Shropshires imported 
to America. A. B. Conger of Haverstraw, New York, had a 
flock about the same time, and sold the first of the breed to go 
into New Hampshire, to P. W. Jones of Amherst, in 1864. 
Shropshires were exhibited at the New York State Fair at 
Elmira in 1861, including the ram Gratitude that had been shown 
the year previous at the Royal Agricultural Society Show at 
Canterbury, England. In 1862 P. Lorillard of Fordham, New 
York, also had a flock, and in 1868 L. C. Fish of Otego, New 
York, began breeding them. About 1875 the first Shropshires 
were brought from Canada to Michigan by Mrs. Ann Newton of 
Pontiac. In 1880 this breed was advertised by J. A. Brown & 




Fig. 176. First-prize pen of Sliropshire yearling rams at the Royal Agricul- 
tural Society of F^ngland Show, 1904. Bred and exhibited by Sir R. P. 
Cooper, Bart., Shenstone, England. Photograph from William Cooper & 
Nephews, Berkhamsted, England 

Son of Decatur, IHinois. Along in the eighties numerous impor- 
tations were made into Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan, and the 
breed became well distributed. 

Characteristics of the Shropshire. This breed is of the medium- 
wool class and is somewhat heavier and larger than the South- 
down. The face, ears, and legs are usually a dark brown or 
blackish brown, although fifteen years ago they were often gray- 
ish brown of face. The head is hornless and is slightly larger 
than the Southdown, and in the best specimens is co\'ered with 
a striking cap of wool even to the nostrils, covering all but a 
small part of the nose. The ears should be small, short, and 
moderately broad, and should be well covered with short, fine 
wool. While the Shropshire is an excellent backed breed, it also 



390 



SHEEP 



carries such a depth of body as to usually appear fairly short of 
leg. A prominent feature of good specimens is a full bosom and 
strong brisket. The rump sometimes lacks levelness and fullness, 
though the thigh and twist may be excellent. The fleece covers 
the entire body admirably, being compact and fairly long and of 
superior quality. In temperament Shropshires are of the first 
class, being easily handled. The skin of representatives of this 
breed is very commonly bluish pink and lacks the superior quality 
and color of either the Merino or Cheviot. 

The size of the Shropshire makes it about an average among 
the middle-wool breeds. A standard weight for mature rams is 

225 pounds, with 150 to 
160 for ewes. A few years 
ago one large importer and 
breeder advertised that 
his rams would average 
250 pounds and his ewes 
175 pounds. There has 
been a tendency in this 
country to develop a large 
type among some breeders 
and a smaller type among 
others, the latter arguing 
in behalf of quality rather 
than quantity. 

The Shropshire as a mutton sheep is of a superior order, rank- 
ing ne.xt to the Southdown, and when well fed often equaling it. 
In the Iowa station breed test Shropshire fattening wethers of an 
average age of 371 days, in the first trial, made an average daily 
gain of .48 pound, and in the second trial, covering 279 days, 
gained an average of .36 pound daily. In one trial it required 
718 pounds dry matter for 100 pounds gain, and in the other 1026 
for 100 i:)ounds gain. The valuation per 100 pounds live weight 
ranked second to the Southdowns, viz., $4.63 and $5.60 for each 
trial. In feeding experiments on Shropshire lambs, conducted by 
Professor Brown at the Ontario College, grades of this breed 
made the best record among five tested. In a general way feed- 
ing experiments with Shropshires have shown excellent returns. 




Fig. 177. Champion Shropshire ram at the 
Kentucky State Fair, 1903. Exhibited by 
the Niagara Stock Farm, Lewiston, New 
York. Photograph by the author 



THE SHROPSHIRE 



391 



Cross-bred or grade Shropshires are to-day one of the most 
common types of mutton sheep found on the market. Shrop- 
shire rams used on native ewes furnish lambs of a much-desired 
class, fattening easily, not too large, and profitable killers. In the 
Mississippi Valley states Shropshire grades are the common sheep 
outside of Merino communities. A Shropshire ram-Merino ewe 
cross is also a very beneficial one from a mutton point of view. 
Used on the long-wool grade ewes, a smaller, better mutton 
sheep results, with a more profitable fleece. Alex. Bruce, chief 
live-stock inspector for New South Wales, in 1894 wrote, "For 
the production of prime fat lambs there is no better ram (if 




Fig. 17S. The first-prize pen of Sliropshire yearling ewes at the Royal Agri- 
cultural Society of England Show, 1904. Bred and exhibited by Sir 
R. P. Cooper, Bart., Shenstone, England. Photograph from William 
Cooper & Nephews, Berkhamsted, England 

there be as good) than the Shropshire, and the result is equally 
favorable where that ram is put to cross-bred ewes." 

The fecundity of Shropshire sheep is notable. The ewes of 
this breed have long been noted for the number of lambs they 
will produce. A ewe owned by a Mr. Pochin at Leicester, Eng- 
land, dropped five lambs in 1882, four in 1883, and four in 
1884. A writer in the English Agriailtiiral Gazette in 1879 
reports that in 1877 he had 125 ewes suckle 194 lambs, in 1878 
he had 120 suckle 176, and in 1879 he had 124 suckle 191. 
Mr. Alfred Mansell, secretary of the English Shropshire Society, 
states that 150 to 175 lambs per 100 is the usual average, that 
1 1,666 ewes in 1896 reared 168 lambs per 100 ewes. In a study 
of 23,037 Shropshires recorded in the Avierican Shropshire 



392 



SHEEP 



Flock Book the author found 13,659, or 59.2 per cent, of single 
birth ; 9053, or 39.2 per cent, registered as twins; and 3 1 5, or 1.3 
per cent, as triplets, this record covering the years 1890 to 1899. 

The Shropshire as a grazing sheep ranks but fair. It is espe- 
cially adapted to regions where the pastures are superior, but 
it is not so well adapted to hilly land nor to sparse pasturage as 
the Merino, Southdown, or Cheviot. It is distinctly suited to the 
corn belt of America, where it is most abundant. It is also well 
suited to the better Canadian pastures, and in New England 
satisfactory results have been secured. 

The early maturing qualities of the Shropshire are pronounced, 
ranking in the first class. Lambs at four months old will easily 
weigh 40 pounds and at twelve months old weigh over 100 pounds. 




Fig. 179. The champion pen of Shropshire yearling ewes at the Royal Agri- 
cultural Society of England Show, 1 897. Bred and exhibited by T. Bowen- 
Jones, Shrewsbury, England. Photograph by the author 



Wallace gives 20 to 22 pounds per quarter the dead weight at 
twelve months old. The early-maturing, easy-fattening character 
of the breed or its cross or grade is what makes it so popular 
among feeders. Further, for years dark-faced mutton has been 
more popular in the market than the white-faced. 

The Shropshire as a wool producer ranks very well. The 
average fleece of unwashed wool will probably not much exceed 
eight pounds. Wallace places 7 or 8 pounds a good average 
weight for the fleece of an ordinary ewe flock, while Professor 
Thomas Shaw gives 9 to 10 pounds for the ewes and 12 to 15 
pounds for the rams as the average of a "good flock." The 
staple of the Shropshire is rather compact, of better than medium 
quality, and in good specimens is of superior fineness and crimp 
and is about three and one half inches long, distinctly longer 



THE SHROPSHIRE 



393 



than the Southdown but shorter than Oxford or Hampshire. 
When the fleece is opened it frequently shows considerable oil 
for a medium wool, and has a most attractive fiber. A good 
specimen of Shropshire should be well covered with wool about 
the belly and down the legs to below knee and hock. 

The Shropshire's rank as a general-purpose sheep is high, which 
accounts for its popularity. The combination of the better-class 
mutton and wool, with ample size and above average fecundity, 
has met the demands of the modern farmer. 

The vigor of the Shropshire is criticised by some as not being 
as great as it should be, if compared with the Merino, being more 
subject to colds in winter, and showing less resistance to the 
twisted stomach worm 
(Strongylus) in summer 
than is desirable. 

The distribution of the 
Shropshire is to-day world- 
wide, it being found in 
most of the counties of 
England, in Scotland, Ire- 
land, Russia, France, Ger- 
many, South Africa, South 
America, Australia, New 
Zealand, Tasmania, Ja- 
maica, the Falkland 

Islands, the United States, and Canada. There are very success- 
ful flocks in certain mountain districts, as in Scotland and New 
England, but it is essentially a sheep suited to gently rolling 
lands, preferably north rather than in the dry south. In America 
fine flocks exist in Canada, and the breed is well represented in 
the states generally, but especially in New York, Indiana, Michi- 
gan, Wisconsin, and Iowa. 

Organizations to promote Shropshire sheep are among the 
earlier ones of the kind. In 1882 the English Shropshire Sheep 
Society was established and the first volume of the flock book 
published in 1884, since which twenty-three volumes have been 
issued to 1905. The American Shropshire Sheep Association 
was organized at La Fayette, Indiana, in February, 1884, and is 



i^^p 


m^ 




|i' " , 


1 ^L^-'^-^i^^lBI^VnaviiMaBKLJ^^Rz^'- f' 


- i-«i 



Fig. 180. A pair of prize-winning Sliropshire 
ewes at the Pan-American Exposition, 1901. 
Owned and exhibited by G. II. Davison, 
Millbrook, New York. Photograph from the 
A'atioiial Stockman and Farmer 



394 



SHEEP 



to-day the strongest individual sheep association in the world. 
Its first flock book was published in 1889, since which it has 
published eighteen, and about 190,000 sheep have been registered 
to 1905. There is also a National Shropshire Association in the 
United States, which has published one flock book. Australia 
and Tasmania also have Shropshire flock book associations. 

High prices for Shropshires have been paid. In 1881 Mr. A. B. 
Allen wrote : 

I notice from late sales reported in the English papers the choicest 
are bringing high prices, 10 to 100 guineas ($50 to $500) each, and one 
ram has been sold for the extraordinary sum of 200 guineas ($1000). 

Mr. Alfred Mansell, long a prominent auctioneer of Shrop- 
shires abroad, has published quite a record of Shropshire sale 
prices. A list of 464 rams ranged in average selling price at 
auction from slightly above ^100 per head to over $200, while 
1700 ewes sold at prices ranging from $20 to over $50 per head. 
A list of 53 rams is also given, by name, which have either sold 
or been hired for from ^305 up to $1250 each, nine of which 
came within the ^1000 list. In 1896 Mr. Mansell wrote : 

Foreign and colonial flock masters have been good customers, and at 
high prices, running up to 200 guineas for rams, 30 guineas for ram lambs, 
40 pounds for ewes, and 1 5 guineas for ewe lambs. 

In the United States Shropshire rams have sold for as high 
as $500. 



CHAPTER LII 
THE OXFORD DOWN 

The native home of the Oxford Down sheep is Oxford County, 
England, in the region adjacent to the early home of the Cots- 
wold. The soil is quite variable, being clayey in some places 
and light and poor in others. The climate is fairly temperate and 
suited to sheep husbandry. Good grazing abounds in Oxford, and 
roots and small grains do well on the better-class lands. 

The origin of the Oxford Down sheep is comparatively recent. 
About 1833 Mr. Samuel Druce of Eynsham and Messrs. William 
Gillett of Southleigh, Blake of Stanton Harcourt, all in Oxford- 
shire, and Mr. Twynham in Hampshire, began to develop a new 
breed, though Mr. Druce was the leader in the movement. In 
1859 Mr. Druce wrote to Mr. Pusey : 

The foundation of this class of sheep was begun about the year 1833, 
by using a well-made and neat Cotswold ram with Hampshire down ewes. 
At the same period several breeders of sheep in this neighborhood also 
tried the e.xperiment ; consequently there has always been an opportunity 
of getting fresh blood by selecting sheep which suited different flocks, and 
thereby maintaining the uniform character which is now established. 

Druce and Gillett also used Southdowns to some extent in the 
early days of their cross-breeding. In establishing this cross 
Mr. Druce wrote in 1853 that he found no difficulty in keeping 
the form and size of the animal as it should be, and the wool of 
a valuable quality and not deficient in quantity. He also main- 
tained that the good qualities could be better secured by using 
cross-bred animals on l^oth sides than by using the first cross. 
Crossing was undoubtedly continued for many years, with the 
view of securing a sheep better suited to light farm land and 
producing superior mutton and a heavier fleece than that yielded 
by the pure-bred. " Mr. C. S. Read," says Wrightson, "tells us 
that the (flock) owner formerly divided his flock into three parts, 

395 



396 



SHEEP 



putting a half-bred ram to the ewes that were about right — a 
Cotswokl to the small ones and a Down to the coarser sheep." 
In 1862 the then fairly well established type was given a special 
place at the Royal Agricultural Society Show at Battersea, under 
the name of Oxfordshire Down. 

The introduction of the Oxford Down to America began over 
a half century ago. In 1846 "New Oxford or Cotswokl cross- 
bred sheep " were first imported to the United States by Clayton 

Reybold of Delaware. In 
1853 W. C. Rives, then 
in England, sent to his 
home in Virginia one ram 
and five ewes. In Sep- 
tember, 1853, R. S. Fay 
of Lynn, Massachusetts, 
imported a small flock. 
Soon after J. T. Andrew 
of West Cornwall, Con- 
necticut, established a 
fiock which became very 
famous. In 1857 Andrew 
sold the Messrs. Smith of 
Middlefield, Massachu- 
setts, 27 head, and in Sep- 
tember the same year sold 
a flock to C. L. Whiting of 
Granville, Ohio, the first 
Oxfords to enter that state. This breed seems to have attracted 
considerable attention, and even as early as 1859 a flock was owned 
in Texas by Colonel C. G. Forshay, who had purchased from 
J. T. Andrew. The Civil War caused a break in Oxford Down 
interests, and not until years afterward did this breed again come 
into prominence. Fifteen to twenty years ago W. A. Shafor of 
Ohio, R. J. Stone of Illinois, George McKerrow of Wisconsin, 
and Robert Miller of Ontario, Canada, imported many superior 
Oxfords, including prize winners at the leading English shows. 

Characteristics of Oxford Down Sheep. This breed, at a super- 
ficial glance, closely resembles the Shropshire. It is hornless, has 




Fig. 181. Bryan's No. 9, 31747, giand-cliampion 
Oxford ram at the Louisiana Purchase E.xpo- 
sition, 1904. Owned and exhibited by R. J. 
Stone of Illinois. Photograph by the author 



THE OXFORD DOWN 



397 



a dark brown face and legs, is wooled over the forehead, and is a 
typical mutton sheep. However, under average conditions, the 
Oxford Down is lighter brown than the Shropshire, is not so 
heavily wooled over the head, though with longer, looser fore- 
lock, has a larger frame and more scale, with a longer, more 
open fleece. In early days the Oxford face was speckled or 
mottled brown and white or gray, and the fleece was rather long 




Fig. ib2. An Oxford ram, two years of age, imported in 1900 by George 
McKerrow & Sons of Wisconsin, a first-prize winner at six state fairs that 
year and five times sweepstakes ram. Photograph from the A'citional 
Stockman and Farmer 



and open, quite suggestive of the long-wool type, as might be 
expected, considering the Cotswold blood used. The modern 
Oxford, however, has been bred to be uniformly brown in face, 
and the fleece has been bred shorter and more compact, although 
at the present time this is essentially the largest of the middle- 
wool breeds. The head of the Oxford is rarely wooled much 
below the forehead, and the ears tend to be somewhat long and 
thin and free of wool. As a rule Oxfords show the distinctive 



398 



SHEEP 






mutton form, with a strong breadth of back and excellent leg 
of mutton. The skin of the Oxford Down, like the Shropshire, 
frequently lacks color, being bluish tinted and lacking the pink 
color desirable. Perhaps no breed of sheep has shown greater 
improvement in recent years than this. 

The size of the Oxford Down places it in the first rank. Rams 
have been shown that weighed above 400 pounds, and 275 pounds 
for the mature male is a weight easily attained. Mature ewes 
should weigh close to 200 pounds or more. In a statement in 
the Breeders Gazette in 1889, on Oxford weights, Mr. George 
McKerrow, a prominent breeder, gave the following figures : 
2 rams, two years old, averaged 303^- pounds each; 4 yearling 
rams averaged 203 pounds each ; 4 aged ewes averaged 2 1 5 
pounds each; 5 yearling ewes 177 pounds; and 8 March and 
April lambs, about September i, averaged 118 pounds each. 
These were not fat sheep. In the American Sheep Breeder an 
Ohio man writes that in September, 1890, his ewes from one to 
five years old averaged 193 pounds and his rams 325 pounds. 

The Oxford Down as a feeder ranks deservedly high. Being 
quiet of temperament and of considerable size, the breed easily 
thrives under conditions of restraint and fattens rapidly to large 
size. In the Iowa fattening wether lamb test the Oxfords in 
one trial gained a daily average of .52 pound, and in a second 
trial .40 pound, requiring in the first trial 740 and in the sec- 
ond 103 1 pounds of dry matter for each 100 pounds of gain. 
The Oxford carcasses did not dress out as well as most of the 
other breeds, those in the first trial rating 55.2 per cent and in 
the second 50.08, and bringing $4.50 per hundredweight live 
weight in the first trial and $5.40 in the second. The Iowa 
records give the Oxford about an average rating in feeding results. 
In the Smithfield Club Show in 1889 the Oxford wethers w^eighed 
to show a daily gain of 9.3 ounces, and the wether lambs 10 ounces 
per day, surpassing both Southdown and Shropshire. The gen- 
eral evidence shows the Oxford to be a feeder that w- ill do well for 
considerable periods, and such as the market readily purchases. 

The Oxford Down cross-bred or grade has long met with favor, 
but of late has rapidly grown in the esteem of American sheep 
men. From the first this merit of the Oxford w^as extolled ; it 



THE OXFORD DOWN 399 

is a cross-bred that feeds rapidly to advantage on a variety of 
lands. The large size and heavy shearing quality of this breed 
has attracted our farmers, so that pure-bred rams are in demand 
to grade up flocks with Merino or common ewes. This produces 
offspring of excellent mutton qualities, shearing large fleeces and 
meeting with popular favor. This demand is not restricted to 
America. The English writers state that Oxford rams are in 
special favor in Germany for crossing on Merino ewes, where 




Fig. 183. The grand-champion Oxford ewe at the Louisiana Purchase Expo- 
sition, 1904, and first in class at six state fairs. Owned and exhibited 
by George McKerrow & Sons of Wisconsin. Photograph from the 
A'ational Stockman and Farmer 

they are considerably used. In Scotland the use of Oxford rams 
on Cheviot ewes or cross-bred ewes is attracting favorable atten- 
tion. At the Scottish National Fat Stock Show in 1899 the 
Oxford crosses took all the prizes in a class of twenty-five entries, 
a remarkable showing. 

The Oxford as a wool producer is in special favor to-day. 
Shearing a heavy fleece of combing wool, which tends to coarse- 
ness and length of staple, it thus satisfies the demand of the 



400 SHEEP 

farmer for weight. In i860 Lawrence Smith of Massachusetts 
stated that his flock of store and breeding ewes usually sheared 
from 5 to 7 pounds, with his rams' fleeces sometimes weighing 
10 pounds. Thirty years later an Ohio breeder wrote that his 
Oxford Down flock sheared an average that year of 1 1 pounds 
14 ounces per head. In the Iowa breed test the Oxford wether 
lambs in one trial sheared 1 1 pounds and in another 8 pounds, 
the fleeces bringing $1.44 and $1.16 respectively, materially 
excelling all other middle-wool breeds. A high-class Oxford 
Down flock should shear a fleece averaging close to twelve 
pounds unwashed wool. 

The prolific quality of the Oxford Down has long caused favor- 
able comment among the breeders of this class. Twins are fairly 





00^ 


Jy^^^jjj^ 




^>^.^ 

> ■^ 




j^^^lljl 


|S®^'^ 


^^9 : 



Fig. 184. Oxfords on pasture on the farm of George Adams, Karingdon, 
England. Photograph by the author 

frequent and the ewes usually make good mothers and furnish 
ample milk to the lambs. The ewes, however, probably do not 
rank with the Shropshire in producing twins. 

The distribution of the Oxford Down is very widespread. 
Originally confined to Oxfordshire, it is now found in about a 
score of counties in England, as well as in Scotland, Wales, and 
Ireland. So great has the breed grown in favor in recent years 
that it has become very widely distributed, flocks now existing 
in Germany, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, Brazil, Argen- 
tina, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, and 
elsewhere. While the Oxford is not suited to range conditions, 
it nevertheless seems to thrive under a variety of soil and cli- 
mate, though it is best suited to the more level or slightly rolling 



THE OXFORD DOWN 



401 



lands. In the United States there are Oxfords in many states, 
although Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, and New York have 
noted flocks, as well as Ontario, Canada, where the breed has 
long met with favor. 

Organizations for the promotion of Oxford Down sheep first 
came into existence in 1884, when the American Oxford Down 
Sheep Record Association was established. This association pub- 
lished its first flock book in 1883 and has since then up to 1906 
issued ten volumes, including the registration of about 35,500 
rams and ewes. In 1888 The Oxford Down Sheep Breeders' 
Association was organized in England, and the first volume of 
their flock book appeared in 1889, in which fifty-four flocks 
were registered. Since then the English Association, up to 
1905, has published seventeen flock books. 

The prices paid for Oxford Down sheep have not ranged very 
high. In i860 R. S. Fay had a sale at Lynn, Massachusetts, 
when the prices ranged from ^7.50 to $51.00 a head. The 
annual Oxford Ram Fair in England shows something of prices 
current for this breed. In 1900 at this sale the highest price 
paid was 42 guineas ($210) for a yearling ram, and 50 yearlings 
from the flock of Worley & Son averaged slightly over $50 per 
head. In 1903, 60 rams sold by Mr. George Adams averaged 
8 guineas (^40). The same year, at the sale of J. T. Hobbs, 
at Cirencester, the draft from his flock averaged in excess of 
$75 per head, one ram bringing 58 guineas ($290). In 1876 
T. S. Cooper of Pennsylvania showed the ram Freeland at the 
Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia, a famous prize winner 
there and in England, which he hired of A. F. M. Druce of 
England for $425. 



CHAPTER LIII 

THE HAMPSHIRE DOWN 

The native home of the Hampshire Down breed of sheep is in 
south-central Juigland, in the county of Hampshire, which, on 
its southern border, touches the Enghsh Channel. Like all of 
south England, the climate is temperate and rather moderate 
the year round. The land is rolling, with the downs more or 
less crossing the county. The soil is of a chalky character and is 
none too fertile, producing short, fine grass, and suited to wheat, 
while roots do well on the better lands. 

The origin of the Hampshire Down sheep traces back to at 
least two sources, crossed with improved stock. In the counties 
of Hampshire and Wiltshire, and also to some extent in other 
near-by counties, were large, slow-maturing, white-faced, narrow- 
backed, fine-fleeced sheep with horns, known as Wiltshires. The 
horns turned back behind the ears and about the cheeks, from 
which peculiarity they were known as "crooks." There were 
no other sheep like them in England, and by 1837 they had 
practically disappeared as a result of crossing. In the county of 
Berks there was also another old type with horns, strong and 
vigorous, with dark face and legs. Early in the last century these 
two types were crossed again and again with the Southdown. 
About 1835 the sheep of Ham})shire and Wiltshire generally 
showed Southdown type and character, and they were exhibited 
at the Royal Agricultural Society Show at Oxford in 1840 as 
West Coimtry Doivn sheep, which name they long retained. From 
this stock was evolved the present type known as Hampshire 
Down. 

The early improvement of the Hampshire Down is largely due 
to Mr. William Humphrey of Oak Ash, Newbury, Hampshire, 
and Mr. James Rawlence of Bulbridge, Wilton, the same county. 
Besides these Messrs. Stephen King, William King, Moore of 

402 



THE HAMPSHIRE DOWN 



403 



Littlecott, Edward Waters, Frank Budd, Saunders of Water- 
combe, Canning of Chisledon, Ferris of Manningford, Alfred Mor- 
rison, James Read, and Bennett of Chilmark were prominent 
early breeders. Mr. Humphrey, however, is the most important 
of these, being essentially the great Hampshire Down improver, 
with Mr. Rawlence a most important later factor. About 1834 
Humphrey began gathering up as choice a flock as possible of 
West Country Down ewes, breeding to them rams of the same 
class. In 1842 he became impressed with the improved breeds 
at the royal show at Oxford, notably the Cotswolds, and believed 
that his sheep might be improved by crossing. Consequently he 
obtained a choice South- 
down ram from Jonas 
Webb and crossed on his 
ewes with much success. 
Later he obtained other 
rams, three in all, the only 
outside ones ever used in 
his flock. At first he had 
difficulty in loss of size, 
but he culled out the finer- 
boned, smaller ewes and 
bred only the larger, more 
robust ones, using choice 
cross-bred rams of his own 
breeding. Mr. Humphrey 
was very particular about 
his sires and the ewes they were bred to, selling all undesirable 
ewes to the butcher. He died in 1868, when his flock, one of 
very superior merit, was dispersed. Mr. James Rawlence bred 
rather differently, beginning with the Sussex breed, crossing the 
larger and more robust ewes with the West Country Down or 
Hampshire Down rams. He frequently used rams of Mr. Hum- 
phrey's breeding, and later bought Hampshire ewes to which he 
bred rams of his own stock. By using new blood gradually, 
and practicing careful selection, Mr. Rawlence developed a flock 
of high merit. From these two flocks has come the best of 
Hampshire Down stock. 



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Fig. I S3. The Earl 4442, grand-champion 
Hampshire ram at the Louisiana Purchase 
E.xposition, T904. Shown by John Milton 
of Michigan. Photograph by the author 



404 



SHEEP 




The introduction of the Hampshire Down of the modern type 
to America probably first occurred in 1855, when Thomas Mes- 
senger of Great Neck, Long Island, New York, imported a small 
flock. But little, however, was done to introduce more Hamp- 
shires prior to 1880. In 188 1 Henry Metcalf of Canandaigua, 

New York, imported 
the ram Shepherd's 
Pride 2d. About 1883 
the breed was intro- 
duced into Michigan, 
and in 1885 found its 
w^ay into Ohio, Wiscon- 
sin, and elsewhere. 

Characteristics of the 
Hampshire. The head 
is very dark brown or 
almost black in color, 
is rather large, and 
frequently has a pro- 
nounced Roman nose. 
The lips and nostrils 
are black. The ears are 
large, of a dark mouse 
color behind, and are more pointed than with Shropshire or 
Southdown. In the best types the ears lean outward slightly. 
The neck tends to be a bit long, lacking the compactness of the 
Southdown ; yet Wrightson, the best British authority on this 
breed, states that it is thick and muscular and is considered to be 
a point of special excellence and importance. He further states 
that the shoulder tops are wide, and that the girth behind the 
shoulders and of the entire fore end must be well marked to 
secure any attention either in the prize or sale ring. This breed 
has been criticised by Wallace, who states that a conspicuous 
defect in ordinary specimens is a falling away behind the shoulder. 
The type of body and general carcass is common with accepted 
standards for other mutton breeds. The legs are dark brown in 
color, like the face ; in fact the color is so deep a brown that 
it may almost be regarded as black. In further reference to 



Fig. 186. A yearling Hampshire Down ewe, first- 
prize winner wherever shown, and first in a pen 
of three at the Royal Agricultural Society of 
England Show, 1904. Imported and exhibited 
by Chilmark Farms, New York. Photograph 
from Charles V. Phelps, Superintendent 



THK IIAMl'SHIRK DOWN 



405 



these breed characteristics Wrightson makes the following inter- 
esting comments upon the sources of their inheritance. 

The slightly Roman character of the face and the fine wool have no 
doubt partly been derived from the old Wiltshire horned sheep. . . . The 
quality of the flesh and the color have come through the Southdown, but 
the color has been deepened by selection. The length of ear has probably 
been derived from an alliance with the Cotswold. 



The size of the Hampshire Down is large, being second only 
to the Oxford Down, although Wrightson classes the Hampshire 
as the largest of the middle-wool breeds. Mature rams should 
weigh about 250 pounds and ewes 190 or so. J. H. Taft of 
Michigan made an importation of ewes which in fair flesh aver- 
aged from 175 to 200 pounds, while lambs of his own raising 
at about ten months old weighed an average of 1132^ pounds. 
James Wood of New York, one of the best American authorities 
on the breed, states that 
mature rams weigh 300 
pounds and ewes some- 
thing over 200, but these 
must be above average 
specimens. 

The Hampshire Down 
as a mutton sheep ranks 
high. It has long been a 
popular breed in the Eng- 
lish market, and, begin- 
ning nearly twenty years 
ago, met with favor in 
the American early lamb 
market, largely due to the 
importations and popular- 
izing methods of James 
Wood of New York. Almost nothing has been done in experi- 
mentally feeding sheep of this breed in America. In England 
Lawes and Gilbert secured fair results. 

The Hampshire Down for early lambs has been regarded as 
of special merit. The lambs mature early and fatten easily, and 




Fig. 187. A two-year-old Hampshire Down 
ewe, first and champion at seven American 
fairs in 1904. Owned and exhibited by Chil- 
mark Farms, New York. Photograph from 
Charles V. Phelps, Superintendent 



406 SHEEP 

as the early lamb buyer has long preferred the dark face, the 
Hampshire especially supplies this demand. 

The Hampshire Down for crossing or grading is valued by 
lamb producers in particular. In England it is customary to draft 
from the flock the old ewes and sell them at fairs, after which 
Cotswold or light-faced rams are bred to them. The result of 
the cross fatten rapidly, and if kept till yearlings produce a 
large amount of mutton and wool. It is said that large numbers 
of Hampshire rams are sold into Lincolnshire, where they are 
bred to old Lincoln ewes for producing fat lambs or wethers. 
The Hampshire also crosses well on the Leicester. The Hamp- 
shire ram, used on grade Merinos or pure-breds, produces the 
dark face and superior mutton type of early lamb. This is one of 
the most popular crosses in America for using Hampshire blood. 

The Hampshire Down as a wool producer docs not rank high. 
The fleece is of medium length but lacks either Southdown or 
Shropshire quality, and for the size of sheep shears rather light, 
yielding about seven pounds of unwashed wool per head for 
the flock. 

The Hampshire as a grazer has recognized merit in England, 
where flocks are generally grazed in summer within hurdles, a 
condition to which they are well suited. They graze together, 
often in semicircles, and pasture closely. In Hampshire and 
Wiltshire a large number of sheep are maintained upon the land. 
Wrightson notes that his summer flock on the College Farm of 
six hundred acres at Downton, with a favorable lambing season, 
consists of from 1250 to 1300 sheep and lambs, besides a dairy 
of 30 cows and young stock, a very superior showing. 

The fecundity of the Hampshire, while not of the highest, is 
distinctly superior. In 1903 the English association kept a 
lambing record of 37 flocks comprising 15,482 ewes. These 
reared 18,462 lambs, or 1 19.17 per cent, while only 2.21 per 
cent of the lambs dropped were lost. In a similar record for 
1902 the percentage raised was 116.82. This speaks well for 
the fecundity and maternal character of Hampshire ewes. 

The distribution of the Hampshire is widespread. In 1903, 
for example, exports were made from England to the United 
States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Australia, 



THE HAMPSHIRE DOWN 



407 



New Zealand, South Africa, Germany, Russia, Hungary, Portu- 
gal, Jamaica, and elsewhere. In England the breed is found in 
a score of counties, though chiefly in Hampshire, Wiltshire, 
Dorset, Sussex, Surrey, and vicinity. In the United States it 
has a small local distribution, being most common in New York, 
Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana, where prominent flocks are 
kept. Small flocks also are kept in Canada, in Ontario and 
Quebec. The breed is suited to rolling lands producing abun- 
dant grazing, rather than hilly country. 

Hampshire sheep associations exist in England and America. 
The Hampshire Down Sheep Breeders' Association of England 
was organized in 1 889, and has published seventeen volumes of the 
flock book. Volume XIV shows a membership of 360 and the 
registration of 2 1 2,000 head in flock form, of which about 2 10,000 
are females. The Hampshire Down Sheep Breeders' Association 
of America was also organized in 1889, the first flock book being 
published in 1890. Up to 1905 eight volumes have been issued 
and 4900 rams and 1 1,501 ewes recorded. 

The prices received for Hampshire sheep, especially in England, 
present a high average. In 1903 Waters and Rawlence sold at 
public sale about 2500 head, which generally brought good 
prices. At the Earl of Carnavon sale one ram brought about 
$550, and 100 yearling ewes averaged about ^35 each. At 
J. Flower's Chilmark sale and ram letting two rams were let at 
135 guineas ($675) each, the record for the past thirty-two years, 
with several ram lambs selling for from 34 to 'j6 guineas ($170 
to $380). This was one of the memorable sales of the breed. 



CHAPTER LIV 



THE DORSET HORN 



The native home of Dorset Horn sheep, sometimes called in 
England Somerset and Dorset sheep, is in the counties of 
central and southern England, but notably Dorset, Somerset, 
and Wiltshire. The land here is generally rolling in localities, 
rather hilly, and tends to a clayey or chalky character. Roots 
and small grains, especially wheat and grass, are the staple crops, 
these doing well on the better lands. The climate is very tem- 
perate and well suited to 
outdoor life the entire 
year. 

The origin of the Dor- 
set Horn seems to be from 
old native stock of Dorse 
and Somerset counties 
especially. The general 
evidence of British author- 
ities is that this is the only 
horned breed with white 
face and leg in Britain, and 
that this characteristic 
has been long preserved. 
In 1842 Professor Low 
wrote that in Dorset from 
time immemorial there had existed a breed of sheep with horns 
common to both sexes, having white face and legs, low shoulders, 
broad deep loins, long but not coarse limbs, black lips and nostrils, 
though sometimes flesh-colored, and possessing fine wool. In the 
adjoining county of Somerset was a rather larger type of much 
the same breed, lanker in form, longer wooled, and with pink or 
flesh-colored nose, by which they were known as " Pink-Nosed 

408 




Fig. iSS. A Dorset ram, first prize in class at 
several state fairs in 1898, shown by Tran- 
quillity Farm of New Jersey. Photograph 
by the author 



THE DORSET HORN 



409 



Somersets," which fattened to greater weight and had larger 
lambs than the sheep of Dorsetshire. Low further comments on 
the encroachment of the Southdown and Leicester on the 
Dorset territory, stating that pure-bred flocks were becoming 
scarce, owing to the crossing of these breeds. In fact, he stated 
that the breed was gradually diminishing and was in danger of 
being extinguished. In 1856 Professor Wilson, another British 
authority, writes that " the practice of crossing with the South- 
down is becoming very general." In this same connection Youatt, 
in 1837, comments on the use of Devonshire Knots and Leices- 
ters on Dorsets, but says the cross was not successful. However, 




Fig. 189. Dorset rams owned by J. L. lieiideisun & Son, of Peun^)Kclllld. 
Photograph from the National Stockman and Farmer 

some flocks were apparently kept free from crossing, notably on 
the isle of Portland, where about 4000 sheep of a small Dorset 
type existed in 1840. The general improvement of the breed as 
a whole was secured by selection on the part of various breeders 
in the western part of Dorset, but especially by Richard Seymour 
of Bradpole, who between 1830 and 1840 perhaps had the best 
flock extant. Among some of the other early prominent breeders 
were Matthew Paul, John Pope, John Pitfield, the Messrs. Davy, 
William Way, and Thomas Chick. Between i860 and 1885 the 
breed was much improved by Henry Mayo of Coker's Frome. 

The introduction of the Dorset to America is very recent, being 
the last of the well-known breeds brought from England to this 
country. The first Dorsets shown in the United States were 



410 



SHEEP 



some ewes and lambs exhibited in 1885 at the American Fat 
Stock Show at Chicago by E. and A. Stanford of Steying, 
England. The first owned in this country were purchased in 
March, 1887, by William Daley of Lockport, New York, from 
Valancey E. Fuller of Canada. In May, 1887, E. F. Bowditch 
of Framingham, Massachusetts, made an importation, he being a 
specialist in early-lamb raising. The following month of June 
Adin Thayer, of Hoosic Falls, New York, imported 12 head. 
This same year, 1887, Woodward & Jaques of Lockport, New 
York, and R. J. Buck of Bridgeton, New Jersey, made importa- 
tions, and the following year, in July, Rutherford Stuyvesant of 
New Jersey imported 2 rams and 28 ewes from the English 
flocks of John and William Kinder. In September, 1889, Mr. T. 
S. Cooper of Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, imported 153 head, 
mostly from the flock of Thomas Mayo, and again in 1891 brought 
over 204 more head. The sheep imported by Mr. Cooper were 
very superior and were sold and distributed among numerous 
breeders, especially in the east. 

Characteristics of the Dorset sheep. Both males and females 
have horns, those on the male curving backward and around 
spirally, while those on the ewes curve outward, down, and 
forward, with tips rising about level with the eye, perhaps turn- 
ing in slightly. The face, legs, and hoofs are white. The nostrils 
are also white, face strong, with considerable breadth between 
the eyes. Compared with the ideal mutton sheep the neck and 
body tend to be long and rangy, and there is hardly the spring 
of rib and levelness of back most desirable. The head should 
have a short foretop of wool, the back part of the head below 
the ear should be wooled, and the body generally be well covered 
with a fine fleece, extending down to knees and hocks. 

The size of the Dorset is from medium to heavy among the 
middle-wool breeds. Mature rams in fair flesh should weigh 
about 225 pounds and ewes 165 pounds. In some cases, how- 
ever, much larger weights are secured. Mr. T. S. Cooper 
selected a large type in his importations. One two-year-old 
ram attained a weight of 317 ])ounds and a yearling 287 pounds, 
while ram lambs weighed 184 and 164 pounds at five months one 
week old. These were mostly first-prize winners. Three first-prize 



THE DORSET HORN 



411 



yearling ewes at the 1889 royal show weighed at shearing time 
262, 245, and 222 pounds respectively, and in August each 
dropped twin lambs. These, however, were excessive weights. 

The Dorset as a mutton producer cannot be placed in the front 
rank. The meat of the wether is of fair quality when not over- 
fat, while fat lambs rank very well indeed. In the dressed car- 
cass the Dorset does not reach the best standard. In the Iowa 
station breed tests, in the first trial with fattening wether lambs, 
the Dorsets dressed 52.6 per cent carcass, being valued at $3.75 
per hundred, the poorest record made by ten breeds ; while in 
the second trial they dressed 54.1 1 per cent, being surpassed only 
by the Southdown, the 
carcass selling at $5.50 a 
hundred, compared with 
$5.75 for Southdown and 
$5.60 for Shropshire. 
Under fair conditions Dor- 
set mutton will rank as 
about medium in quality. 

The Dorset as a feeder 
will do well. The lambs 
grow rapidly, and with 
abundance of feed may be 
turned on the market at 
an early age. The breed 
stands confinement and 
folding well. In the Iowa breed test the fattening Dorset lambs 
made an average daily gain of .48 and .43 pound in the first and 
second trials respectively, requiring 785 and 989 pounds of dry 
matter for 100 pounds of gain. 

The Dorset as an early-lamb producer has great distinction, 
having long been famous in this regard over other British breeds. 
The ewes will breed during much of the year, so that they have 
a special value for producing Christmas lambs. It has long been 
customary in England to breed the ewes in June and July to 
lamb in November and December, furnishing early lambs for the 
London market. In the United States, owing to the hot sum- 
mers, the ewes are more readily bred from the middle of March 




Fig. I'lO. A hrnvri t_-\\c nt umisual merit. 
First prize at several state fairs in 1898. 
Shown by Tranquillity Farm of New Jersey. 
Photograph by the author 



412 



SHEEP 



into May. The lambs fatten rapidly and soon attain good weights. 
In England November or December lambs are generally sold fat 
in March and April, when they weigh 40 to 44 pounds in the 
dressed carcass, according to Thomas Chick, long a well-known 
Dorset breeder. 

The fecundity of the Dorset is very fair. Not only will the 
ewes produce lambs twice a year if desired, but they frequently 
produce twins, while triplets are not rare. The general evidence 
from all sides shows the Dorset Horn to be one of the more 
prolific breeds. The evidence given in the Dorset Horn flock 

books, however, does not 
show the breed to be so 
prolific at one lambing as 
is the Shropshire. The 
dams make excellent 
mothers and produce a 
large amount of milk, 
oftentimes drying off with 
difificulty. 

The Dorset Horn for 
grading or crossing has a 
special value, if mutton 
production is the thing 
sought. Shropshire or 
Southdown rams on old 
Dorset Horn ewes will 
produce very high-class 
lambs with dark faces, just what the market wants. A grade 
or cross from Merino stock meets with favor in America. In 
discussing this subject Messrs. Wing and Miller state that 
a Merino grade from large, roomy Merino ewes and a blocky 
vigorous Dorset ram will prove a surer breeder, if possible, than 
the pure-bred Dorset ewe. There are not many growers of hot- 
house lambs but what prefer Dorset grades from Merino foun- 
dation to any other ewe, the pure-bred not excepted. These 
ewes are again bred to pure-bred Dorset rams, and the result is 
a very blocky, easily fattened lamb. These grade ewes are also 
better milkers than the pure-breds. 




Fic. 191. The first-prize pen of Dorset ewe 
lambs at the Royal Agricultural Society of 
England Show, 1904. Photograph by 11. B. 
Arbuckle, from the A'atioual Stockman and 
Farmer 



THE DORSET HORN 



413 



The Dorset Horn as a wool producer is open to material 
improvement. Mature rams will shear about 9 pounds and 
ewes about 6 pounds of unwashed wool. Twenty imported 
sheep of J. B. Henderson of Pennsylvania are credited with 
shearing an average of 10 pounds each. The fleece of the 
Dorset has improved in weight and quality. Wrightson states 
that fifty years ago it was computed as averaging 3I pounds, 
whereas now (1895) a breeding flock of ewes will clip from 5 to 
6 pounds of wool, and yearling ewes from 6 to 7 pounds, while 
rams will clip 8 to 12 pounds each, all these weights following 
brook washings. Dorset sheep have too short a fleece and show 
too little wool on the under side of the body. The quality of 
the staple is of medium grade, being neither fine nor coarse. 



Wf'^^ii^ 




Fig. 192. A view in Dorsetshire, showing part of the Slower flock of Dorsets 
soon after shearing. From a photograph by H. B. Arbuckle, from the 
A^ational Stockman and Farmer 



The popularity of the Dorset outside of its native home is rather 
restricted. It is shown at fairs or shows in but a very limited way, 
either in England or the United States, and the public is not 
generally familiar with the breed. In spite of this fact it is a mut- 
ton sheep of much merit, entitled to greater recognition, and for 
early lambs is of much value. With an improved capacity to 
produce wool, it no doubt will meet with more favor. 

Dorset horns as a protection from dogs. Early advocates of the 
breed argued that the Dorset by means of its horns would pro- 
tect itself better from dogs than would hornless sheep, but this 
claim has been very generally discarded in recent years, as 
not being worthv of special distinction. 

The distribution of the Dorset Horn is not as widespread 
as most other British breeds. In Enirland it is found most 



414 



SHEEP 



I 



abundantly in Dorset and Somerset counties, especially on the 
islands of Wight, Purbeck, and Portland, where superior flocks 
may be found. In 1903, at the annual meeting of the Dorset Horn 
Association, 46,878 head were reported in Dorset, 9458 in Somer- 
set, and 6728 on the Isle of Wight, these all being registered 
sheep. At the annual sale of Dorsets at Dorchester as many as 
15,000 head are sold. The breed has not been taken up with 
much activity abroad. In the United States high-class flocks 
are found in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and 
Connecticut, but the breed is found in many other states and 
also in Canada. Dorsets have also been exported to Australasia 
and other British provinces. The breed seems well adapted to 
the level or slightly rolling lands where food is abundant. It 
has also thrived in the Allegheny mountain region under 
conditions of good grazing. 

Organizations of the Dorset Horn sheep breeders were perfected 
in 1 89 1 in both England and the United States. In England 
the Dorset Horn Sheep Breeders' Society gives official super- 
vision to the breed. This association issued its first flock book 
in 1892, and up to 1905 has published fourteen volumes, regis- 
tering some 1800 rams. In 1891 the Dorset Horn Sheep Breeders 
of America organized and established a flock book, publishing 
the first and second volumes in one in 1894. Owing to a dis- 
agreement among the members, in 1 897 the Continental Dorset 
Club was organized, with headquarters in Ohio. This club pub- 
lished its first flock book in 1900, and in 1905 issued its third 
volume. 



CHAPTER LV 
THE CHEVIOT 

The native home of the Cheviot breed of sheep is in the border 
country between England and Scotland, especially in the counties 
of Roxburgh (Scotland) and Northumberland (England). The 
country is hilly or mountainous, rising to an elevation of nearly 
3000 feet in the section known as the Cheviot Hills. The hill- 
sides are free of timber, excepting in the case of small artificial 
plantings, but are covered with short, nutritious grass. The 
climate is moist and rough, snow falling frequently in winter, 
although not usually attaining much depth. 

The origin of the Cheviot is obscure, like most other breeds. 
Che\iots have been bred in the border country from very early 
times. In 1791 David Irving published a letter in the Annals of 
Agriculture relating to experiments by him on Cheviots, com- 
mencing in 1777. The Cheviot has been crossed more or less 
with Black Faced Highland, Leicester, and Merino, but the 
character of the breed has undergone great changes through 
careful selection, for the influence of the breeds mentioned has 
not been notable. In 1796 Naismyth wrote that the Cheviot 
was well polled, was smooth and white of face and leg, or some- 
what mixed with black or brown. There was a tendency to too 
much leg, the shoulders were thin in some individuals, and the 
fleece was generally close and ev^en, the wool soft and fine, from 
two to three and one-half inches long. He further says : " The 
same kind of sheep have fed in this district (Cheviot Hills) from 
time immemorial ; nor does anybody allege that they were even 
natives of any other region." The British Wool Society over a 
century ago did much to popularize the breed, and at one time 
it became generally distributed over Scotland. The improve- 
ment of the Cheviot was gradually brought about by the breeders 
in general, although after the middle of the eighteenth century 

415 



4i6 



SHEEP 




Fig. 193. Trinlieknowe (1327), a Clie\iot sliow 
and stud ram owned by J. R. C. Smith, Mow- 
haugh, Scotland. Photograph from the owner 



a Mr. Robson, by use of sheep from Lincolnshire, is credited with 
much improving the breed. In the last century Mr. Thomas Elliott 
of Under Ilindhopc, Jedburgh, was a famous breeder and improver. 
The introduction of the Cheviot to the United States first 
occurred in 1838, by Robert Youngs of Delhi, Delaware County, 

New York. They had 
some time previously been 
imported into Canada by 
a Mr. Pope of Cookshire, 
Quebec. In 1842 George 
Lough and a Mr. David- 
son of Delaware County, 
New York, made importa- 
tions. In 1845 T. J. Car- 
michael imported three 
rams and six ewes to Jef- 
ferson County, Wisconsin. 
Cheviots were introduced 
into Pennsylvania in 1889 by T. M. Patterson, into Illinois in 1888 
by E. Pumphrey, and into Indiana in 1891 by H. H. Keim. 

Characteristics of the Cheviot. The head is usually hornless 
and is covered with hard, white, short hair to behind the ear and 
around the jaw. The lips and nostrils should be black, though 
frequently they are mottled flesh colored and black. The nose 
should be broad, with a Roman curve to a slight degree. The 
head is short and broad between the prominent, large eyes. The 
ears are white and free from wool, and are thinner and longer than 
the Shropshire ear. The Cheviot shoulder is lighter than with 
lowland breeds, and the body lacks the breadth of the Shropshire 
and Southdown. The skin is unusually pink and rich in color. 
The fleece covers the body and extends up the neck to behind 
the ears, forming a sort of collar, and covering the legs to knees 
and hocks. The fleece is of the middle-wool, combing class, is 
neither fine nor coarse of staple, and averages about four inches 
long. Sometimes the wool on the lower, back part of the thigh 
is long and tends to be hairy, a very objectionable feature. The 
head and ears often have small black spots which are no disquali- 
fications of purity. Reddish or sandy hair also occasionally occurs 



THK CHEVIOT 



417 



on face and legs. This is strongly objected to, and after Janu- 
ary I, 1905, all rams possessing reddish hair, or well-defined horns 
became ineligible for registration. Horns occur occasionally 
on the rams, but are becoming more and more rare. The hoofs 
should be black. The temperament of the Cheviot is a striking 
characteristic. He carries himself with an uplift of head and 
alertness of ear and general style very distinctive of the breed, 
and one of its greatest charms. 

The size of the Cheviot is medium, comparable with the Shrop- 
shire for weight. Mature rams weigh about 200 pounds, with 
225 a standard, and ewes from 150 to 160 pounds. But few 
rams exceed 225 pounds, though ewes frequently surpass 160 
pounds. The best type of Cheviot calls for a compact, heavy- 
weighing sheep of much quality. 

The Cheviot as a mutton producer stands high. In England 
the mutton of this breed, which is rarely too fat and which has 
very superior quality, ranks in the first class. External fat is 
not abundant, but there is 
a desirable proportion of 
lean to fat. Professor 
Wallace of Scotland states 
that ewes fed on turnips 
twelve to fourteen weeks, 
and wethers from the hills 
at three years weigh, killed 
and dressed, 60 to 70 
pounds. Wethers a year 
younger, fed turnips, 
weigh about the same. 

The Cheviot as a graz- 
ing sheep is unsurpassed. 
On its native hills it sub- 
sists entirely on pasture, 
excepting for hay which 

may be fed during excessive snow when the grass is covered. 
Ordinarily the Cheviots paw aside the thin covering of snow 
on the hillsides and thus secure winter grazing. No breed is 
more essentially a grazing sheep. 




Fig. 194. Victor 2532, grand-champion Cheviot 
ram at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 
1904. Owned and exhibited by H. H. Keim, 
Ladoga, Indiana. Photograph by the author 



4i8 



SHEEP 



The Cheviot as a wool producer is only fair. The fleeces lack 
weight, although having very satisfactory quality, the wool bring- 
ing a price equal to any of the medium class. Twenty-five 
Cheviot breeders give the average weights of fleeces in their 
flocks as ranging from 7;^ to 1 1 pounds per fleece for rams, and 
6 to 9 pounds for ewes. Wallace states that a good average 
clip for ewes is 4^ to 5 pounds of washed wool. Formerly 
Cheviot fleeces appeared somewhat open and long, and the breed 
has ignorantly been referred to by some as a long wool, whereas 
it is a true middle wool. In American flocks the fleece is being 

bred to be more com- 
pact and heavier, with a 
length averaging as near 
four inches as possible. 
Cheviot wool is valued 
by buyers, and in scour- 
ing tests at the Michi- 
gan Experiment Station 
the wool of this breed 
shrunk less than that of 
any other. 

The prolific character 
of the Cheviot is above 
average. The author has 
secured figures concern- 
ing 228 ewes which in 
one season dropped 353 lambs, approaching one and one half 
lamb per ewe. The ewes are good mothers and produce as 
a rule ample milk for the lambs. 

The hardiness of the Cheviot is one of its strong characteristics. 
For generations raised on the hills, rarely seeing the inside of a 
shed or barn, summer or winter, it has from very force of circum- 
stances developed into the hardiest of the middle-wool breeds. 
The lambs arc vigorous from birth and seem well suited to severe 
conditions of environment. On their native hills Cheviots, as a 
rule, receive no grain unless they be rams or show sheep. 

The cross-bred or grade Cheviot has much merit as a mutton 
producer. The use of Border Leicester or Lincoln rams on aged 




Fig. 195. Cheviot lanii, the In st prize pen at the 
Royal Agricultural Society of England Show, 
1900. Owned and exhibited by John Elliott, 
Under Hindhope, Jedburgh, Scotland. Photo- 
graph by the author 



THE CHEVIOT 



419 



Cheviot ewes has been practiced for a great many years in the 
border country, such half-breds having a comparatively high 
value. Where half-bred ewes are bred to Leicester or Lincoln 
rams they are termed "three-part-bred." Oxford Down rams 
are also used on Cheviot ewes with success. Both of these 
crosses produce very rapid-fattening lambs, giving a leaner and 
better quality of flesh, dressing out 16 to 18 pounds to the 
quarter at about 12 months old. Cheviot rams have not been 
used extensively in crossing, but, when used on Merino grade 
ewes, produce an easier- 
fattening lamb of more 
salable type. 

The Cheviot as a range 
sheep is of peculiar char- 
acter. This breed docs 
not flock in the ordinary 
manner, each sheep mov- 
ing about independently, 
thus scattering to a con- 
siderable extent. On the 
Scotch hillsides one sees 
no evidence of flocking, 
such as the Merino ex- 
hibits. There are but few 
of these sheep on the 
western range, but if 
the natural hardiness of 
the Cheviot could be combined with reasonable restriction of 
movement, it would serve a valuable purpose to the ranchman. 

The distribution of the Cheviot is mainly in England, Scotland, 
and North America. In a considerable territory in the border 
country in Britain there are many large flocks, men counting 
their holdings by thousands, this being the one breed in evidence 
on these hills. Cheviots are chiefly bred in Roxburgh, Dumfries, 
Peebles, and Sutherland counties, Scotland, and in Northumber- 
land County, England. They are also bred to a small extent in 
Ireland and have been exported to New Zealand. In Canada flocks 
exist in Quebec and several other provinces, while in the United 




Fig. 196. A Cheviot ewe, a frequent prize 
winner in 1903. Owned by Fred Hartman 
of Indiana. Photograph by the author 



420 



SHEEP 



States the breed has l)een pretty well distributed from Ten- 
nessee north, from the Atlantic to the far West. There are many 
flocks in eastern New York and northern Indiana, with excellent 
flocks in Ohio, Illinois, Vermont, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and 
many other states. 

Cheviot sheep breeders' organizations exist in Britain and the 
United States. The Cheviot Sheep Society of Great Britain was 
organized in 1891, Volume I of the flock book appearing in 

1893, there having been 
published thirteen volumes 
up to 1904, registering 
1665 rams, ewes not being 
recorded. In 1891 the 
American Cheviot Sheep 
Breeders' Association was 
organized in New York 
State. Owing to disaffec- 
tion among the members, 
in 1894 the National 
Cheviot Sheep Society was 
organized in Indiana. In 
1 900 these organizations 
amalgamated, forming the 
American Cheviot Sheep 
Society, incorporated under the laws of New York. Each of the 
old associations published one fiock book, while the new society 
in 1 90 1 published another, as Volume III. 

High prices for Cheviot sheep have been paid in Scotland. 
I£ach year at Hawick annual ram sales are held on a large scale, 
thousands of sheep being sold and many high prices paid, with 
good averages. At this sale in 1903 five breeders sold rams at 
prices ranging from $150 to $575 each. At a sale in 1865 at 
Beattock 165 Cheviot rams owned by Mr. Oliver of Hawick 
brought over $12,000, one three-year-old bringing $775 and a 
two-year-old $605. In 1902 Mr. J. R. C. Smith of Yetholm, 
Scotland, purchased the ram Ambush (1545) for about $600. In 
the United States no such high prices have yet prevailed, $100 
beinjj about a maximum. 




Fig. 197. A Cheviot yearling ewe, first prize 
in class at the Edinburgh Show, Scotland, 
1904. This is a fine example of Cheviot 
style and character. Bred and exhibited by 
J. R. C. Smith, Mowhaugh. Photograph 
from the owner 



CHAPTER LVI 
THE SUFFOLK DOWN 

The native home of Suffolk sheep was in southeastern Eng- 
land, in the counties of Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, and Kent, on 
the chalk hills and undulating clayey lands. 

The original stock of the Suffolk Down sheep was the old 
Norfolk and Suffolk heath sheep. These had a long, slender 
carcass, says Youatt, long legs, horns, and a black face. The 
fore quarters were deficient, the shoulders low, and the 
withers sharp. The hind quarters were fairly well developed. 
The fleece was short and fine and weighed light. The breed was 
hardy and prolific. These sheep were crossed with Southdown 
and Hampshire rams, although English Suffolk Down breeders 
assume the breed to have been maintained fairly pure since 
1810. The Southdown blood bred off the horns, improved the 
form, and gave a better carcass and earlier-maturing, easier- 
fattened sheep than the Norfolk, while the Hampshire blood 
gave size and weight. Mr. George Dobito of Ludgate, Suffolk, 
was one of the most important improvers of the Suffolk Down 
in the last century. The breed was first exhibited under this name 
in 1859 at the show of the Suffolk Agricultural Association and 
was not recognized by the Royal Agricultural Society until 1886. 

The introduction of the Suffolk Down sheep to America is 
very recent. In 1888 Mr. M. B. Streeter of Brooklyn, New York, 
made an importation of prize-winning stock, and the same year 
Mr. B. D. Sewell of Frederickton, New Brunswick, imported 
20 ewes. In 1892 the Iowa Suffolk Sheep Society imported 
2 rams and 20 yearling ewes and placed them on the farm of 
G. W. Franklin, the secretary of the society, at Atlantic, Iowa. 
These three importations were from the flock of Joseph Smith 
of Hasketon, Suffolk, England, and contained numerous valu- 
able prize winners. 

421 



422 



SHEEP 



Characteristics of Suffolk Down Sheep. The head is hornless 
and is a distinct black color, more so than with any other British 
breed, and inclines to be long. The ears are also black and tend 
to be large. The neck is moderately long, the body inclines to 
be rangy but with well-sprung rib, the chest is broad and full, 
and the legs black in color. The fleece is moderately short and 
fine and covers the body and neck to head, not as a rule passing 
over the forehead. The letrs are wooled to knees and hocks. 




Fig. 198. Playford Model (7731), first-prize Suffolk ram at the Royal Agricul- 
tural Society of England Show, 1904. Owned by S. R. Sherwood, 
Playford, England. Photograph from William Cooper & Nephews, 
Berkhamsted, England 



The breed rather resembles the Hampshire Down but for the 
bareness of head. The Suffolk is said to be very hardy and is 
quite exempt from foot rot. 

The size of the Suffolk Down is nearly equal to the Hampshire, 
and is greater than the Shropshire. It is stated that mature rams 
of Mr. Sewell weighed from 200 to 240 pounds, while one of 
the imported yearling ewes of Mr. Streeter weighed 200 pounds 
and a ram lamb nine months old 195 pounds. The average 
Suffolk possesses a weight popular with American stockmen. 



THE SUFFOLK DOWN 



423 



The Suffolk Down as a mutton sheep has high rank, evidently 
possessing good qualities secured from Southdown blood, the 
fat and lean being well placed and in good proportion, and the 
grain and flavor superior. 

The Suffolk Down as a feeder also ranks well. It has been 
kept under conditions of moderate grain ration with considerable 
grazing, showing fair feeding returns. In experiments on fatten- 
ing wether lambs at the Iowa Experiment Station the Suffolks 
gained rather faster per day than the Shropshire or Southdown 
in each trial, averaging .55 pound and .40 pound daily gain in 
two trials. They dressed out in carcass 53.6 and 52.54 per 
cent, and the carcasses were valued at $4.25 and $5.00 per hun- 
dred, a materially poorer showing, however, than most of the 
other breeds made. 

The Suffolk Down cross-bred or grade is comparatively un- 
known in North America, but in South America has been used 
on Merino grades to produce good mutton sheep. The rams on 
common ewes should imjirove the mutton value. 

The Suffolk Down as a wool producer is open to objection. 
Mr. Streeter, in a letter to Ezra Carman in 1892, says, " I think 
these sheep have just one fault, — they are not heavy shearers 
and they are somewhat leggy and bare of wool underneath." 
Mr. Sewell reports clipping nine pounds per fleece on the aver- 
age, which is a ^'ery fair showing. 

The fecundity of Suffolk Down ewes is advocated as a valu- 
able point in behalf of the breed. Twins are common and triplets 
not uncommon. In the spring of 1891, 32 ewes of Mr. Sewell 
raised 58 lambs, while the same year 5 imported ewes of Mr. 
Streeter produced 11 lambs, and the same ewes 14 in 1892. 
According to returns made to the Suffolk Flock Book Society of 
England, the number of lambs reared to June i, 1903, was 140.66 
per cent per 100 ewes, as compared with 136.16 in 1902 and 
an average of 132.97 per cent for the previous sixteen years. It 
is almost unnecessary to say that the ewes make good nurses. 

The distribution of Suffolk Down sheep is mainly in south- 
eastern England, notably in Suffolk and Norfolk, and in various 
other counties. In 1903 exports from England were made to 
Germany, France, Spain, Denmark, South Africa, New South 



424 



SHEEP 



Wales, South Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Jamaica. 
The breed is also in other countries. In the United States 
Suffolks have almost no record, barring a few isolated flocks. 
They are especially suited to low or slightly rolling lands of good 
grazing character. In the United States breeders of Suffolk 
Downs are almost unknown. In the great sheep shows of the 
country the breed is practically unrepresented. Even professional 
showmen do not exhibit Suffolks, and no classes are provided for 
them. From the show-ring point of view they are quite attractive 
and would add materially to the interest attached to our sheep 
exhibitions, notably at state fairs and the International Live 
Stock Exposition. 

Organizations for promoting Suffolk Down sheep were first 
established in 1886, when the Suffolk Down Sheep Society 
organized, publishing its first flock book in 1887. In 1892 the 
American Suffolk Flock Registry Association was organized, 
with headquarters at Des Moines, Iowa. Up to 1905 this asso- 
ciation had published no flock book. 



CHAPTER LVII 

THE TUNIS 

The native home of the Tunis breed, often referred to as Fat- 
Tailed Sheep, is in northern Africa, in Tunis, a French province 
of some 45,000 square miles bordering the Mediterranean Sea. 
Much of the land is hilly, some of it bordering the desert of 
Sahara, the climate is warm, and the main crops produced are wheat 
and barley. This breed is found mainly in the upland region. 

The origin of Tunis sheep is unknown, but the type has no 
doubt existed for centuries in Tunis and the associated section 
of northern Africa sometimes termed Barbary. 

The introduction of Tunis sheep to America is said to date 
back to 1799, when the Bey of Tunis, at his request, allowed 
General William Eaton, then United States consul at Tunis, to 
ship from that country to the United States several " broad- 
tailed Barbary or Mountain Tunis sheep," only one pair of 
which survived the voyage. These were placed in the hands of 
Judge Richard Peters, on his farm near Philadelphia, where they 
increased in number, the rams being used on native American 
ewes also. The original ram was later used in Lancaster County, 
Pennsylvania, on the farm of General Hand. It was soon dis- 
covered that they produced superior mutton, and sheep of Tunis 
stock came into demand. In 1807 or 1808 Commodore Barron 
of the United States Navy imported some Tunis sheep to Vir- 
ginia and the District of Columbia. Later President Jefferson 
had a ram and ewe brought over on a government vessel, and in 
1825 some thirteen were landed at New York. A pair of these 
was sent to General Van Rensselaer of Albany. From the early 
stock, descendants of the Peters breeding it is claimed, flocks 
were established in South Carolina by Colonel Richard Singleton 
and in Georgia by Richard Peters. These sheep increased in 
number, but the Civil War nearly exterminated them. Most of 

425 



426 



SHEEP 



the importations were unsuccessful, owing to the apparent phys- 
ical disability of the ewes to breed on account of the tail inter- 
fering with service. A few sheep of this breed from Columbia, 
South Carolina, were shown in 1893 at the World's Columbian 
Exposition at Chicago, following which Mr. J. A. Guilliams of 
Indiana purchased from these, and later Charles Roundtree of 
the same state visited South Carolina, purchasing ten of the fiock 
of twenty-five head there owned. Since then Mr. Roundtree 
has been the chief promoter of this breed. 

Characteristics of Tunis sheep. To begin with, this sheep, even 
to-day, is not well fixed in type and breed markings. In general 

the head is hornless with 
both sexes, and covered 
with hair of a tawny or 
yellow-brown color, the 
legs also being of much 
the same shade. Some 
faces, however, are solid 
color of brown and others 
are mottled brown and 
white. The ears are large, 
broad, pendulous, covered 
with fine hair, and are 
brown, white, or brown and 
w^iite. The tail is broad, 
perhaps measuring five 
inches at maturity, is thick 
and moderately long, 
though the fleshy part is carried down only six or eight inches at 
maturity. This tail is usually cut off when the lamb is very 
young, and so does not appear as an important feature in the 
sheep. Left on, it becomes difificult to breed the ewes. At the 
end of the rump at the tail head there is more fullness and heavi- 
ness than exists with other docked sheep, to a notable degree. 
The neck tends to be long, the body of recognized mutton form, 
though inclined to be leggy. The fleece is of excellent quality, 
being soft, fine, and fairly compact, covering the body excepting 
the head from forehead down, and averages about three inches 




Fit;. 199. A lunis cwc >li(i\vii at ihe Louisi- 
ana Purchase Exposition, 1904, by Charles 
Roundtree of Indiana, who is holding the 
sheep. Photograph by the author 



THE TUNIS 



427 



long, but varies notably in color. One animal may have a clear 
white fleece, another a prevailing reddish tint, while in another 
reddish fibers may be generally interspersed among the white. 
The young lambs when dropped are of various colors, — white, 
red, tawny, and mottled, but this generally changes to a uniform 
color with maturity. Aside from conformation of head, ear, and 
tail, the Tunis breed shows more variation than any other on 
the American market. In temperament they appear mild and 
easy to handle. 

The size of Tunis sheep varies considerably, but rams are 
expected to weigh 150 pounds or more and ewes 120 pounds 
and upward, according to the standard of the Tunis Association. 

The Tunis as a mutton sheep has met with much favor. Early 
writers bear evidence of a high regard for the breed or its crosses 
for mutton in the markets of Philadelphia and vicinity. The 
claim has been made by the few promoters of the breed that 
on grass alone they will make exxellent and fat mutton. In 
August, 1900, four grass-fed ewes, four years old, sold by 
Charles Roundtree, had a gross weight in the Union Stock 
Yards of 470 pounds. They dressed to average about 16 pounds 
for the hind quarter and 17^ pounds for the fore quarter, and 
dressed out 56 per cent, an exceptionally good showing. The 
writer has examined Tunis lambs in October, said to have had 
no food but grass, which were in splendid flesh for killing. On 
various occasions Tunis grade lambs fed by Charles Roundtree 
have topped the Chicago market the day of sale, and have 
received much favorable stock-yards comment. On August 11, 
1900, two lambs 150 days old weighed 200 pounds gross and 
dressed 57.6 per cent. 

Cross-bred or grade Tunis sheep, sired by Tunis rams, are 
regarded as superior mutton sheep in the market, possessing the 
easy-fattening characteristics of the pure-bred. 

The Tunis for early lambs has special qualifications. The 
pure-bred or cross-bred ewe will breed at various seasons of the 
year, and may be mated in spring to drop lambs in the fall for 
the Christmas market. The lambs fatten rapidly, and if with 
dark faces are well suited to the eastern market demand. Doubt- 
less their use for early lambs will materially increase. 



428 SHEEP 

The Tunis sheep as a wool producer has merit, yet the vari- 
able color of the fleece is objectionable. Tunis breeders claim 
that they shear from 6 to 1 2 pounds, and Professor Shaw credits 
them with y\ pounds wool. In an address before the Philadel- 
phia Society for Promoting Agriculture, in i8io. Judge Peters 
gave the average weight of the washed fleece at 5 to 5I pounds, 
some flocks averaging 6, with individuals of pure blood yield- 
ing as high as 10 pounds, and it is questionable if the breed 
has changed much in wool production since. The staple is of 
good quality and is comparable in fineness with the standard 
combing wools. 

The fecundity of the Tunis sheep ranks high. Twins are fre- 
quent, and as the ewes will breed twice a year if desired, the flock 
may be rapidly increased if physical conditions do not interfere. 

The distribution of Tunis sheep is widespread, yet but few 
flocks of importance exist, the larger ones being in Indiana and 
Ohio. Flocks have also been established in South Africa and 
Australia, and in various parts of the United States. The breed 
is well suited to warm latitudes, where it seems to thrive. It is 
also claimed that it will do well on low ground of marshy tendency. 

The American Tunis Sheep Breeders' Association was organized 
in Indiana in 1896 for maintaining a flock book and promoting 
the breed, but up to 1905 no flock book had been published. 
The first rule of the standard adopted by the association allows 
twenty points for pedigrees extending back unbroken to Judge 
Richard Peters's stock or to direct recent importations from Tunis. 



CHAPTER LVIII 

THE LEICESTER 1 

The native home of the Leicester breed of sheep is in the 
county of Leicester in central England. Here the land is gently 
rolling, the soil clayey and fertile, and grass, small grains, and 
roots grow abundantly. The climate is moist much of the year 
and fairly temperate, even in winter. 

The origin of the Leicester as a breed is obscure, further than 
that a long-woolcd, large, coarse, narrow-backed, slow-feeding, 
leggy type had been bred in the county of Leicester from time 
immemorial. This was the old Leicester sort. 

The first improvement of the Leicester began with Robert 
Bakewell, who lived at Dishley Hall, near Loughborough, in 
Leicestershire. Bakewell was born in 1726 and began to experi- 
ment with and improve the sheep of his county just prior to 
1760. He purchased the best specimens of the breed to be 
obtained in the community, practiced rigorous selection, did 
much in-and-in breeding, and finally produced a remarkable im- 
provement, so that sheep of his breeding became known as 
Dishley or Bakewell sheep. He converted the Leicester into a 
broad-backed, thick-fleshed, easy-feeding, early-maturing breed, 
with small bones and much less offal than in the old sort. Bake- 
well had a collection of bones and meat in pickle, which repre- 
sented selections from time to time from animals of his own 
breeding, by which he studied the improvement made. Marshall, 
who lived in Bakewell 's time, stated that he kept four points in 
view, — (i) breed, (2) utility of form, (3) quality of flesh, and {4) 
propensity to fatten, the three latter depending on the first. 
Bakewell attained such fame in improving these sheep, as well 
as Longhorn cattle and other stock, that he was often termed 
the father of improved live-stock husbandry. People visited him 

^ The word '• Leicester" is pronounced as though spelled " Lester." 

429 



430 



SHEEP 



from various parts of England and Europe, and paid him large 
sums for the hire of his rams, he being the first person to estab- 
lish this custom. An item in the Aimals of Agriculttirc in 1787 
reports him letting three rams for 1200 guineas ($6000), and 
that he had been offered 1000 guineas for twenty ewes and 
refused it. Bakewell died in 1795. The Leicester as improved 
by him retains to-day many of the original characteristics, 
though it may be somewhat smaller and more refined. His 







' ■'_ ■- 


-^!:^ "^-^fi^S^: Jf^tP-^"^'- 




^m^mi^^^mms^mmam 



Fu;. 200. A Leicester yearling ram, first prize in class at the Royal Agricul- 
tural Society of England Show, 1904. Exhibited by E. F. Jordan. 
Photograph from William Cooper & Nephews, Berkhamsted, England 



method of close breeding eventually reduced the fecundity, vigor, 
milking capacity of the ewes, and weight of wool. Breeders since 
his day have continued the practice of selection, and early in 
the last century practiced much in-and-in breeding. 

The introduction of Leicester sheep to America occurred early 
in the history of the United States. Previous to the war of the 
Revolution some of the so-called Dishley or Bakewell sheep 
were brought, most of them smuggled, into the colonies, espe- 
cially New Jersey and Virginia. As early as 1800 the New 
Leicester was known about Philadelphia, though not of pure 



THE LEICESTER 



431 



breeding. About 1799 or 1800 the first pure-breds brought 
to America were imported to Quebec, Canada, by Reverend 
Mr. Toofy. In 1806 John Hart of Cheshire, Massachusetts, 
secured a ram, and about 1805 or 1806 Captain Beanes of New 
Jersey brought some pure-bred rams and ewes from England 
and disposed of them to a retired ship captain, George Farmer, 
hving near New Brunswick, New Jersey. These Beanes Leices- 
ters were carefully and successfully bred and attained a wide 
reputation. Captain Farmer selling some rams for as much as 
$1000 per head. From New Jersey and other states came a 
large demand for sheep 
from the Farmer flock. 
Miles Smith, a neighbor 
of Farmer, and Joseph 
Cooper of Flemington, 
New Jersey, also became 
prominent breeders. The 
craze for Merino sheep, 
however, was on in 
America, and by 18 18, 
when Farmer died, there 
were no pure Leicesters 
on his or Smith's farms. 
During the War of 181 2 
Christopher Dunn estab- 
lished the first pure-bred 
flock of this breed in New York, near Albany, they being stock 
destined for Canada, but captured by an American privateer. 
There were importations to New York in 1826 by J. S. Skinner, in 
183 1 by D. Stockdale, and in 1835 by John Baker. The first 
Leicesters which found their way to Ohio were brought here in 
1834 by Isaac Maynard of Coshocton County, who also brought 
other breeds for trial. Henry Parsons of Massillon in 1840 had a 
large flock of breeding ewes. 

There are two types of Leicester sheep, the Bakewell or true 
Leicester and the Border Leicester. 

The Bakewell type of Leicester in general appearance is white 
in color, large, long-wooled, very wide of back, and tends to be long 




Fig. 201. A Border Leicester ram owned by 
Alexander Cross, Knockdon, Kilmarnock, 
Scotland. Photograph by the author 



432 SHEEP 

of leg. The head from the ears forward is covered with a soft 
white hair, the skin having a shght bluish tint and small black 
spots often occurring on head and ears. The face is of medium 
length, the nose is frequently Roman in form, with black skin 
at nluzzle, and the ears are thin, somewhat large, and delicate, 
standing more or less erect. Neither rams nor ewes have horns. 
The neck tends to be short and is not much elevated in carriage. 
The body is very wide of rib but often lacks in depth, the pro- 
portion of breadth to depth being striking. The breast is usu- 
ally quite prominent, both in extension and thickness, and the 
hind quarters frequently are not so large as they should be, 
being peaked. The legs tend to be long and fine of bone. The 
temperament is quiet and gentle, such as might be expected with 
the large breeds. The fleece is excellent for coarse wool, medium 
long, and usually lies over the body in fine spiral locks. Usually 
no wool extends beyond the ears, and the legs are not commonly 
woolcd below knee and hock. 

The size of the Leicester is large, though this is the smallest 
of the long-wooled breeds. Average-sized mature rams weigh 
from 225 to 250 pounds and the ewes from 175 to 200 pounds. 

The pure-bred Leicesters as mutton producers do not rank 
high. When mature they are too large for common market 
demands, and unless killed before twelve months of age produce 
too fat a mutton. Neither is the quality quite equal to the best 
standard. Wrightson states that the Leicester is best fattened 
when from twelve to fifteen months old, when the carcass weighs 
about eighty to one hundred pounds. At three of the American 
Fat Stock Shows held at Chicago the following figures were 
secured, showing the best records made by Leicester fat wethers. 

Age 969 days, weight 300 pounds, average gain per day from birth .3 1 pound 
" 600 " " 295 " " " '< " " " ,49 pound 

" 235 " " 178 " " " " " " " .75 pound 

In feeding experiments at the Ontario Agricultural College the 
better Leicester high-grade, fat, shorn yearlings weighed 242 
pounds and made an average daily gain of .54 pound. 

Cross-bred or grade Leicesters are regarded with favor by some 
superior sheep feeders. A compact, easy-feeding Leicester ram, 
used on ewes of Merino character, will sire sheep of more scale 



THE LEICESTER 



433 



and easier fattening quality than where Merino rams are used. 
In France a type of Leicesters termed DisJiley Merinos has 
been developed by using Leicester rams on a Merino ewe foun- 
dation, these sheep now showing little of Merino character. 
Robert Taylor of Nebraska has used Leicester rams on middle- 
wool ewes on the western range with signal success. In both 
1903 and 1904 Mr. Taylor won the grand championship at the 
International Live Stock Exposition on car-load show of lambs, 
these being a cross of Leicester rams on grade Hampshire ewes. 
In fact, it is conceded that 
cross-bred Leicester mutton is 
produced more economically, 
matures earlier, and is of bet- 
ter quality than the pure-bred, 
although the size is somewhat 
lessened. In this connection 
it is interesting to note that 
the Leicester as improved by 
Bakewell has served a most 
important part in improving 
some of the British breeds in 
the days of early development, 
its blood being freely used on 
the Southdown, Cotswold, 
Lincoln, Shropshire, and 
Hampshire foundations. 

The Leicester as a wool producer yields a fine grade of long 
wool. Randall states that after the first shearing it will average 
about 6 inches long and will weigh 6 pounds. Professor Shaw 
states that the fleece should average from 9 to 1 1 pounds 
weight, while the 1894 edition of the Complete Grazier, by Youatt, 
places it at an average of 7 pounds. George Benedict of 
Nebraska, a breeder of pure Leicesters, in 1893 wrote, "The 
average weight of fleeces for ten years is 11 pounds." The 
fleece of the Leicester being naturally fine and open weighs 
comparatively light. If grade Leicester ewes are bred to middle- 
or fine-wool rams, the fleece of the offspring is commonly finer, 
more compact, and shears heavier than that of the pure-bred. 




Fig. 202. A very choice Border Leicester 
ram bred by Mr. Smith of Leaston, 
Scotland. Sold in 1901 for ^122 
($600). Photograph from the owner, 
J. R. C. Smith 



434 



SHEEP 



The breeding qualities of the Leicester are only moderate. 
None of the largest breeds are strongly prolific, and no doubt 
the early policy of very close in-and-in breeding followed by 
Leicester breeders injured the fecundity of the breed. Careful 

management will no doubt 
secure fair results. Mr. 
Benedict, above referred 
to, reports 136 per cent 
increase in his Leicester 
flock. 

The Leicester as a graz- 
ing or range sheep ranks 
as only fair. Leicesters 
will not flock equal to the 
Merinos. They require 
better range and more 
abundant pasture, are not 
suited to rough ground, 
and in winter lack the 
constitution to withstand 
roughing it without shel- 
ter. The open fleece is 
objectionable where much 
snow or cold rain prevails. 
In the so-called corn belt, where properly protected, with abun- 
dance of roughage, grain, and roots, this breed may do very well. 
The popularity of the Leicester in America to-day is quite 
secondary, although in the middle of the last century it was 
looked on with favor in the eastern states. Very few are now 
owned in the United States, notwithstanding the extended his- 
tory of the breed here. A few are kept for show piu-poses and 
some for cross-breeding, but this large type does not suit the 
modern demand for a hardy, smaller class of quick-feeding sheep, 
not too fat when finished. More Leicesters are fed in Canada 
than elsewhere in America. 

The distribution of the Leicester is wide. Since the days of 
Bakewell it has been more or less distributed over Europe, Aus- 
tralia, New Zealand, Tasmania, and North America. It is not a 




Fig. 203. Grand-champion Leicester ewe (Bor- 
der Leicester) at the Louisiana Purchase 
Exposition, 1904. Owned and exhibited by 
A. W. Smith, Maple Lodge, Ontario. Photo- 
graph by the author 



THE LEICESTER 435 

common breed to-day, however, in any part of the world, even in 
England, its native home. There are small flocks kept in each 
of the Canadian provinces, but more in Ontario than elsewhere. 
In the United States the breed is mainly represented in Michigan, 
Pennsylvania, Oregon, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois. 

Organizations in behalf of Leicester sheep date back consider- 
ably over a century. In the time of Bakewell the Dishley Society 
was organized to support this great breeder in establishing a 
new breed. This society had various meetings and adopted dif- 
ferent resolutions. No. 4, passed in 1790, provided that " secrecy 
be kept by all members respecting the business of these meet- 
ings, except to absent members." Resolution No. 13 provided 
that " no member shall let a ram, share or part of a ram, to any 
ram breeder residing within thirty miles of Leicester, not being 
a member, who hired a ram of Mr. Bakewell last season, 1789." 
This society existed many years and was very influential. At 
the present time there is a Leicester Sheep Breeders' Society 
in England. In this country we have the American Leicester 




Fig. 204. A group of Border Leicester yearling rams owned by 
J. R. C. Smith, Scotland. Photograph from the owner 

Breeders' Association, estabUshed in 1888, which has issued four 
volumes of flock books up to 1904, registering about 7000 head. 
The Border Leicester breed of sheep belongs to the Leicester 
family, but differs from it somewhat in type. The origin of 
the Border Leicester has been credited to the Culley brothers, 
who first used Leicester rams (obtained from Bakewell) on Tees- 
water ewes. Some authors have regarded the Border Leicester 



436 



SHEEP 



as originating from a cross of Leicester rams on Cheviot ewes, 
the result of the cross finally assuming a pure form of a variety 
of the Leicester. In 1767 the Culleys moved into northern 
Northumberland county, England, to Fenton, near Wooler, 
among the Cheviot Hills in the border country between England 
and Scotland. In this region they developed the Border Leices- 
ter, which became very popular. In 1806 they retired and their 
flock was dispersed, being purchased by various breeders. There 
are to-day flocks in the border region directly descended from 
Culley rams. The Mertoun flock of Lord Polwarth, said to 
have been established in 1802, has long been and is to-day 
perhaps the most famous in Britain. 

The characteristics of the Border Leicester sheep in compari- 
son with the Bakewell Leicester are interestingly shown by 
Professor Wrightson as follows : 

The differences between the Leicester and Border Leicester are to be 
chiefly seen in the head, which in the Border Leicester is white and 
boldly carried, the nose slightly aquiline, the muzzle full, the nostrils 
wide, and the ears erect. The head is clean and free from wool, as is 
pretty well shown by the fact that they suffer from flies settling on their 
polls in summer. The English Leicester, unless trimmed and shaved for 
show, usually carries a tuft of wool on his head, which protects it from 
flies, and he is also wooled in the shanks. The English Leicester has a 
bluish-white face, whereas the Border Leicester's face is clear white. In 
carcass the Border Leicester is the larger and longer, and the belly is not 
quite so full in outline, being carried rather more lightly. 

It may also be added that the flesh at the nose is black, that black 
spots frequently occur in the white hair on head and ear, and that 
this is a heavier, more leggy type than the Bakewell Leicester. 

Border Leicester rams crossed on Cheviot ewes make a cross 
which has long met with much favor in the British market. In 
the hill country the half-breds and three-quarter-breds feed 
extremely well on rather scant fare oftentimes, and produce a 
strictly choice mutton. Each year in the hill country between 
Scotland and England large numbers of cross-bred sheep of this 
stock find their way into the best British trade. 

The Society of Border Leicester Sheep Breeders has an organ- 
ization in Britain, but in America tlie Border type is registered 
in the American Leicester flock book. 



CHAPTER LIX 

THE COTSWOLD 

The name Cotswold is derived from a combination of circum- 
stances. In early times sheep were folded in shelters locally 
known as "cots" or "cotes," and were pastured on the wild, 
treeless hills of the region, which were termed "wolds," from 
which the name Cotswold was evolved. 

The native home of the Cotswold sheep is in central south- 
western England, in the county of Gloucester, which touches 
salt water on its lower side leading up from the Irish sea. The 
Cotswold hills extend southwesterly nearly through and to the 
southern borders of the county. These hills are of variable soils, 
often poor in quality, gravelly or clayey in character with much 
lime, grow a short pasturage, and yield moderate crops of wheat 
and roots. The climate is moist and temperate, well suited to 
large sheep, especially on the lowlands. 

The Cotswold is of ancient lineage. In 1464 King Edward IV 
of England, says Stowe in his Chronicles, granted permission 
"for certain Coteswold sheep to be transported into the country 
of Spaine, which have there since mightily increased and multi- 
plied to the Spanish profit." In 1842 Low wrote that Cotswold 
sheep inhabited the district beyond the memory of the living 
generation. However he believed that this breed was developed 
from a large type common in Warwick and Oxford counties 
adjoining, which it in some respects resembled. It is improbable 
that the Cotswold has a long ancestry on the hills of Gloucester, 
for a big breed of this type would not naturally thrive on hills 
comparatively poor in production. Yet the region in which this 
sheep developed became a noted wool-producing section, dating 
back to days of Roman conquest in the second century. Gervase 
Markham, writing in the sixteenth century, referred to Cotswold 
sheep as having long wool and large bones. It is generally 

437 



43« 



SHEEP 



conceded that the breed of to-day is much improved over the 
old type, this improvement having been largely secured by using 
Leicester rams on Cotswold ewes. So indiscriminately were 
they used between 1780 and 1820 that we are told not a Cots- 
wold flock was spared. The Leicester blood reduced the size 
and constitution, but improved the symmetry, producing better 
bodies, finer wool, more quality, and earlier-maturing sheep. 
During the last century the families of Smith of Bibury, Hewer 




Fig. 205. lluultuu'b 945 — 39250, an imported Cotswold yearling ram, owned 
by the Ohio State University. This ram is in thin flesh with about five 
months of fleece. Photograph by the author 

of North Leach, Lane, and Game materially improved the breed 
by judicious selection and some in-and-in breeding. On the dis- 
persion of the Hewer flock various breeders purchased and 
established flocks which are numbered among the important 
ones of to-day in England. 

The introduction of Cotswold sheep to the United States 
probably first occurred in 1832, when Mr. C. Dunn, who lived 
near Albany, New York, imported a ram. In 1834 Isaac May- 
nard of Coshocton County, Ohio, brought the first Cotswolds 



THE COTSWOJ^D 



439 



to that state, but within three years most of these had died. In 
1840 W. H. Sotham imported a flock of 19 to New York, near 
Albany, for which he paid $110 each. This same year Erastus 
Corning and Mr. Sotham made two large importations of a cross- 
bred Cots wold-New Leicester sheep from the Hewer flock 
at North Leach, Gloucestershire. In 1836 J. C. Haviland of 
Duchess County, New York, began breeding Cotswolds, and 
continued his flock many years. In 1837 they were first brought 
to Kentucky, where they were popular for many years and 
seemed well suited to the 
conditions there. Along 
in the early forties there 
were a number of flocks 
of Cotswolds in the Atlan- 
tic coast states, where they 
met with some favor, if on 
the more fertile lands. 
With the depreciation of 
Merino values about 
1 870-1875 Cotswold and 
other mutton sheep grew 
in favor and considerable 
flocks developed in the 
Mississip})i \'alley states. 
Characteristics of the 
Cotswold. The hcadoi the 
Cotswold is a distinguish- 
ing feature, being horn- 
less, usually white, but frequently slightly mixed or spotted with 
gray or brown, is dark at the nostrils, broad between muzzle and 
eyes, having a tendency to a Roman nose, and with curls or locks 
over the forehead, often extending to the nostrils. This forelock 
is rather a distinctive feature of this breed. The back carries the 
same great breadth as the Leicester and Lincoln, though the body 
often lacks depth and appears leggy, especially behind. The heart 
girth is often striking, showing much thickness. Fream states 
that at a show some years ago in England two of the winning 
two-year-old rams girthed five feet and five feet four inches 




Fig. 206. A very choice Cotswold ewe, winner 
of first prize in class at the Ohio State Fair 
in 1 905 and sweepstakes Cotswold ewe at the 
Illinois State Fair, 1906. Owned by Wilson 
Bros, of Indiana. Photograph by the author 



440 SHEEP 

respectively. T\\q. fleece covers the body in rather large locks or 
curls, very similar to the Lincoln, naturally parting along the back 
and hanging down the sides to considerable length. The legs have 
much the same color marking as the head. In quality this breed 
ranks well, and m general appearance has a carriage which Cotswold 
men regard as distinguished. Professor Wrightson states that 

the Cotswold was often described by the late Professor Coleman when teach- 
ing at the Royal Agricultural College [which is in the Cotswold district of 
England], as a sheep which could " look over a hurdle," that is, carried his 
head high and well poised on a somewhat erect neck. This is said to be 
accompanied with a tendency to be " ewe necked " and low in the rumps, or 
" down at both ends," as I have heard Professor Coleman repeatedly say. 
He knew the Cotswold sheep well, and was himself a Cotswold man, so his 
opinion carries weight. These faults have been corrected in the best flocks 
there can be no doubt, but they e.xist in second-rate animals, as is most 
evident in rough weather, when the animals are viewed at a disadvantage. 

In carriage the Cotswold is a sheep of dignified appearance, with 
considerable alertness of expression. 

The size of the Cotswold is large, ranking very close to the 
Lincoln and often equaling it. A mature Cotswold ram in 
moderate flesh should weigh from 250 to 275 pounds, and the 
ewe from 200 to 225 pounds. Select show animals often weigh 
much more. 

The Cotswold as a mutton sheep is rather ordinary. The 
quality of the mutton is inferior in sheep two years old or over, 
the fiber lacking fineness and the percentage of external fat too 
great on well-fed animals. The Cotswold is most desirable for 
the table up to twelve months of age, producing a very good 
grade of lamb. 

The Cotswold as a feeder ranks well. In various feeding experi- 
ments the wethers ha\e made heavy gains. In 1852 Sir John 
B. Lawes reported on important sheep-feeding experiments at 
Rothamsted, in which he showed that forty-six Cotswold lambs 
made a total gain of 29284 pounds between December i and 
April 17, a weekly increase j^er head of 3 pounds 2I ounces, and 
an increase for each 100 pounds live weight weekly of 2 pounds 
2 ounces. Twenty of these lambs, fasted weight, dressed out 
61.48 per cent. In extended experiments h\- this investigator 



THE COTSVVOLD 



441 



the best results in feeding were secured on the Cotsvvold, giving 
a more economical production than on the Leicester, Hampshire, 
Sussex, or cross-breds. At the Iowa experiment station, in two 
breed trials with fattening lambs, the Cotswold made the heavi- 
est gain, averaging .62 and .50 pound daily respectively, consum- 
ing less dry matter to secure a pound of gain than any other 
breed in each trial. In per cent of dressed carcass the Cotswold 
lambs showed an average of 54.9 and 53.57 respectively, a fair 
record. From figures collated by Henry of records at the Ameri- 
can Fat Stock Shows at Chicago between 1879 and 1882, Cots- 
wold wethers showed the following gain from birth : 



Year 


Age 


Average Weight 


Average Daily Gain 


1881 .... 

1878 .... 
187S .... 


933 days 

535 " 
170 " 


281 pounds 

220 " 
152 " 


.31 pound 
.41 " 
.89 " 



The general testimony is that the Cotswold is a superior feeder, 
and Wallace writes that it is well suited for feeding on stiff land, 
even when pretty wet, although the last part of the statement is 
very c|uestioi"iable. 

The value of the Cotswold in crossing and grading is moderate. 
Used on native sheep or grade Merinos, extra scale and better 
mutton quality may be obtained, with more fleece. Formerly 
Cotswold rams were considerably used in the central west on 
common ewes, but the demand for a smaller type of mutton and 
a compact fleece caused the discontinuance of this practice. 

The Cotswold as a grazing sheep ranks high where pastures 
are abundant, but on hilly or rough land it is not a satisfactory 
breed. This breed does best in the northern plain sections of 
America, where plenty of grass, roots, and grain may be grown. 
From its quiet temperament and heavy weight, like the other long- 
wool breeds, it may be fed to great advantage on rape or turnips 
for a limited time, on restricted areas within hurdles. 

The breeding qualities of the Cotswold are fairly good, though 
some authorities rank the breed as superior in this respect. None 
of the large breeds, however, are strongly fecund, though they 
arc excellent nurses and produce large lambs. 



A.A2 SHEKP 

The Cotswold as a wool producer, as has already been dcsif^- 
nated, has long had high rank. The fleece is of a lustrous charac- 
ter with a tendency to coarseness, and on mature sheep may 
attain a length of 12 to 14 inches, but is somewhat shorter 
than that of the Lincoln. Eight to ten inches is a usual length. 
Many flocks show an average weight of fleece of over 10 pounds. 
George S. Baber of Kentucky for years kept about forty breeding 
ewes, which averaged 10 pounds of wool per head. For years 
C. L. Day of Wisconsin had a large flock and the fleeces aver- 
aged about 1 1 pounds each. Wallace places the yield of fleece 
for ewes at 6 to 8 pounds, and Wrightson says that in " crack " 
flocks the fleeces may run to 9J pounds, and many fleeces have 
been shown weighing close to 14 pounds, but these are excep- 
tional. In selecting breeding rams one well covered on belly and 
scrotum should be sought, shearing a heavy, relatively compact 
fleece, showing plenty of crimp and quality. 

The distribution of the Cotswold has been rather widespread 
in the past. It has seemed particularly suited to Gloucestershire 
and adjoining sections of England, and while flocks exist outside 
of that locality, the breed is not common. It has been exported 
to Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Russia, Canada, 
and the United States. In this country it has had a wide distri- 
bution, and twenty-five years ago was a prominent breed in some 
sections, notably Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. At the present 
time Wisconsin and Ohio have superior breeding flocks, but 
Ontario, Canada, leads in this respect. The demand for smaller 
mutton with less external fat and for a medium or fine wool has 
materially injured Cotswold development in America. 

Organizations for promoting Cotswold sheep are maintained in 
England and America. The Cotswold Sheep Society of f^ngland 
was organized in 1892, and has published a number of volumes of 
its flock book. The American Cotswold Sheep Association was 
organized in 1878, and has published twelve volumes of flock 
books up to 1905, registering nearly 35,000 sheep. 



CHAPTER LX 

THE LINCOLN 

The native home of Lincoln sheep is in the county of Lincoln, 
on the east coast of England by the North Sea. The soil is of 
a clayey character. The land is slightly hilly in places, but also 
has considerable lowlands of rich pasturage. The small cereals, 
grass, and roots are the staple crops. The climate is moist and 
fairly temperate, though rather cold alongshore in winter. 

The origin of the Lincoln dates back very many years. There 
had long existed in Lincolnshire a large, coarse type of sheep 
much like the old Leicester, with white face and legs, heavy 
head, large neck and prominent dewlap, long and hollow of back, 
with flat ribs but good loin and deep belly. The skin was 
especially thick, the fleece long and coarse, the size very large, 
and the flesh coarse and inferior. This old-fashioned type was 
improved by the use of Leicester rams of the new sort, such as 
Bakewell had produced. Much jealousy had existed between 
Leicester and Lincoln breeders in those days, and the Lincoln 
gradually developed into the largest, longest fleeced breed of 
sheep in Britain. The early type was slow to mature, but Leices- 
ter blood produced quicker feeders and generally improved the 
symmetry and quality. The breed, however, did not have a wide 
reputation like the Leicester, and until the middle of the last 
century was known but little outside of Lincolnshire. 

The introduction of Lincoln sheep to America dates back over 
a century. Prior to 1796 it is stated that some of the old 
Lincolns were taken to Mas.sachusetts, but, not thriving on the 
hills, were generally abandoned. In 1825, however, A. A. Law- 
rence of the same state "imported 6 Southdowns and 10 Lin- 
colnshires." In 1829 Mr. Pickering, also of Massachusetts, 
imported two rams and two ewes. It is reported that during 
the ocean voyage a fleece of 19 pounds was removed from one 

443 



444 SHEEP 

of the rams. In 1834 Isaac Maynard brought the first Lincolns 
to Ohio from the east. At Buffalo it is said he was offered $500 
for his Lincohi ram. In 1836 Leonard D. Clift of Carmel, New 
York, imported some Lincohi sheep. One pair was sold to go to 
Virginia and one to Ohio for $250 each. Later importations were 
made by Mr. Clift. The Lincoln has since then been brought 
occasionally to the United States, though in but a small way. 

Characteristics of Lincoln sheep. The color of the Lincoln is 
white, although the face frequently has a grayish or darker shade 
along the bridge of the nose. The head is large and hornless, is 
often broad between muzzle and eyes, tending to Roman charac- 
ter, the cars are large and broad and are dotted or mottled in 
color. The Lincoln has a very broad, level back, is covered 
with a firmer flesh than the Leicester, and shows a greater com- 
parative depth of rib than that breed, not appearing so leggy. 



■ 


i 

i 

.'1 






Lb-L 



Fig. 207. Dowsby 350 Guineas, first and champion Lincoln ram at the 
Royal Agricultural Society of England Show, 1S97. Bred by Henry 
Dudding, owned and exhibited by S. E. Dean & Sons, Dowsby 
Hall, Folkingham, England. Photograph by the author 

The rump is broad and level, and the hind quarter of a thick, 
meaty character as a rule, and when heavily fed this is often patchy. 
The legs are in suitable proportion to the rest of the body, but 
appear rather large and coarse. The sheep in general appearance 
impresses one as massive. The zvool covering is in rather coarse 



THE LINCOLN 



445 



spirals or curly locks which naturall)- part along the back and 
hang down to considerable length on the sides. A short foretop, 
or group of locks, occurs in good specimens of the breed, more 
than with Leicesters and less than with Cotswolds. 

The size of the Lincoln represents the largest of the British 
breeds of sheep, though Wallace states that it does not exceed 




Fk;. 208. Gibson's 155-10S58, grand-i.i]aiu|iiuii l.iiii_uln ram at the Louisi- 
ana Purchase Exposition, 1904. Owned and exhibited by J. T. Gibson, 
Denfield, Ontario. Photograph by the author 

the Cotswold. The author has seen a Wensleydale ram that was 
comparable with the larger Lincoln. The average Lincoln, how- 
ever, probably weighs heavier than does the average of any other 
breed. Rams of this breed sometimes attain a weight of nearly 
400 pounds, and when in good flesh will easily weigh very nearly 
300 pounds, while the ewes average close to 275 pounds when 
mature. 

The Lincoln as a mutton producer does not rank high. The 
size is too large, too much fat is produced, and the quality is not 
the best. When killed during the lamb period a more acceptable 
class of meat is produced. While the carcass dresses out very 
well, there is too great a degree of waste in fat and bone to suit 



446 SHEEP 

modern trade. In feeding experiments at the Iowa experiment 
station Lincoln wether lambs in one trial made an average daily 
gain of .55 pound and in another trial of .46 pound. The price 
paid for the carcass was $4.50 and $5.25 per hundred, compared 
with ^4.75 and ^5.75 respectively, the highest price paid. The 
Lincolns dressed out 55.7 and 51.08 per cent in the carcass, 
which was about an average of the breeds tested. Comparatively 
few feeding experiments with Lincolns are recorded. 

The Lincoln as a feeding sheep ranks very well. With suitable 
and abundant food it matures early and will fatten rapidly. Its 
temperament is very quiet and docile, well suited to folding or 
the feed lot. 

The Lincoln as a grazing sheep is best adapted to moderately 
dry upland meadows, where food is abundant. In the hill coun- 
try the breed has never made a success and has not secured a 
foothold. Some English writers have called attention to the 
eminent fitness of the Lincoln to the meadows of Lincolnshire, 
but further note the fact that they soon deteriorate in most other 
parts of England. In the Argentine, where great pastures of 
superior quality exist, Lincolns are at present meeting with 
much favor. 

The cross-bred or grade Lincoln is to-day an important factor in 
the British mutton market. A large number of Lincoln rams 
are used on the common ewes of the Argentine or on the grade 
Merino ewes of Australia. A visit to the yards at Birkenhead, 
England, where shiploads of live sheep are received from the 
Argentine, shows the prevalence of Lincoln blood. These 
crosses, or grades, make a big, growthy lamb which fattens easily 
and furnishes a large chop or leg of mutton, more acceptable in 
the English than in the American market. Lincoln rams have 
been used to some extent on Merino grade ewes on our western 
ranges, yet not in a large way. 

The Lincoln as a wool producer is of special interest. No breed 
probably furnished so long a fleece. Wrightson reports samples 
of Lincoln wool in his possession 2 1 inches long. The rules of 
the National Lincoln Sheep Breeders' Association require a 
growth of at least eight inches of fleece during one year. The 
weight of the fleece, which is naturally coarse, may in the case 



THE LINCOLN 



447 



of a ram reach 30 pounds. The average weight of fleeces on 
Lincohi wether lambs in the Iowa feeding experiments was 12.9 
and 10.4 pounds respectively, the heaviest of the ten breeds under 
trial, and yielding the largest income from sale, viz., $1.79 and 
$1.56 respectively. A mature ewe should produce close to 15 
pounds, and a ram 18 to 20 pounds. In fineness of quality this 
ranks slightly better than the Leicester. Compared with the 
Leicester fleece it is longer, is in larger spirals or curls, and 




Fig. 209. A Lincoln ewe, first prize in class at the Ohio State Fair, 1905. 
Owned and exhibited by J. R. Bickett, Xenia, Ohio. Photograph by 
the author 

covers the belly better. Wrightson states that the wool is very 
bright and lustrous when shorn, giving the name "luster wool." 
This feature, however, disappears when the sheep are bred away 
from their native county. The massing of the wool in flakes or 
strands upon the animal is characteristic of the breed, but the 
fiber is hair-like and " lashy " if separated and compared with 
the fiber of Merino wool. 

The breeding quality of the Lincoln is not of the first rank. 
Ewes are good mothers but produce only a fair amount of milk 
and are not of more than average fecundity. 



448 



SHEEP 



The distribution of the Lincoln is largely limited to Lincoln- 
shire and adjoining east counties in England, while it has been 
extensively exported to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, 
Argentine Republic, Russia, Canada, and the United States. 
At the present time an extensive trade exists between British 
breeders and South American buyers, Lincoln rams being heavily 
shipped to the Argentine. In the United States the breed has 
never secured much foothold, neither has it seemed so well 
adapted to our conditions as to those of Canada or England. 
Lincoln sheep are mainly kept in Ontario and other Canadian 

provinces, and in Michi- 
gan, Wisconsin, Illinois, 
and Ohio, several flocks 
being kept in each of these 
states. Sheep of this large 
type cannot thrive satis- 
factorily during the hot, 
dry summers so common 
in the central United 
States. No doubt they 
will do better on the 
upper Pacific coast, in 
Oregon and Washington, 
where the climate more 
nearly resembles that of 
England. 

Organizations to promote Lincoln sheep interests exist in Eng- 
land and America. The Lincoln Long- Wool Sheep Breeders' 
Association, with headquarters in England, in the native county 
of the breed, supervises the welfare of these sheep in Great 
Britain. This association was organized in 1892, and has pub- 
lished 15 volumes of flock books up to 1906. The National 
American Lincoln Sheep Breeders' Association was organized 
in 1 89 1, and has ]:)ublishcd two flock books up to 1906. 

The important breeders and improvers of Lincolns are still to 
be found in Lincolnshire. Mr. Henry Dudding of Riby Grove, 
Great Grimsby, Lincolnshire, is the most distinguished improver 
of to-day, and has done much for the breed. The Budding family 




Fig. 210. A Lincoln ewe lamb of very superior 
character at the Royal Agricultural Society 
of England Show, 1904. Her fleece swept 
the ground. Photograph by H. B. Arbuckle, 
from the A'at/oiial Stockman and Farmer 



THE LINCOLN 



449 



have bred these sheep for one hundred and fifty years, and have 
won the highest honors attained by the breed, and maintain the 
largest flock in the county. S. E. Dean & Sons are also very 
prominent breeders in Lincolnshire, having a large flock of 
superior sheep from which extensive exportations are made. 

The prices paid for Lincolns are among the highest realized for 
any breed of sheep. Since the South Americans and Australians 
began to purchase rams for home trade high prices have ruled, 
the supply being limited. The ram sales of Lincolnshire are now 
world famous. On July 26, 1898, Mr. Henry Budding's sale 
established a new record for England. One ram sold for ^1050 
($5120), and 52 rams brought an average of ^86 19 s. ($423.50). 
At the 1905 sale of Mr. Budding a new record was made, 31 
yearling rams bringing ;^28oi 8 s., and average of about $440 
each. The second-prize ram of the Royal Agricultural Society 
Show of 1905 brought $2500, while another ram sold for $2100. 
Again, in 1906, the annual sale of Mr. Budding at Riby broke all 
previous records and proved of international interest. One ram 
sold for ^1522 los. (about $'j6oo), the highest price on record. 
In all 56 yearling rams realized over $42,000, or brought an 
average of over $750. Twenty-three yearling ewes averaged 
about $85. Each year the Budding sale attracts world-wide 
attention. 



CHAPTER LXI 



THE KENT OR ROMNEY MARSH 



The native home of the Kent sheep is in southeastern England 
in the county of Kent, in the district known as Romney Marsh. 
This is a low, level, marshy, alluvial plain about on sea level, the 
sea being held back by strong walls. The climate is moist and 




P'iG. 211. A Kent or Romney Marsh ram, fir.st prize in class at the Royal 
Agricultural Society of England Show, 1904. Owned and exhibited by 
Charles File. Photograph from William Cooper & Nephews, Berkham- 
sted, England 

mild and the region .sparsely settled. Here a comparatively 
large number of sheep are maintained on the land. 

The early type of Kent sheep was rather comparable with 
other breeds in being deficient in rib, heavy of bone, long of 
leg, and coarse of wool. In 1855, referring to these as Romney 
Marsh sheep, Professor Wilson thus describes the breed : 

450 



THE KENT OR ROMNEY MARSH 



451 



The head and legs are white ; the head long and broad, with a tuft of 
wool on forehead ; no horns ; neck long and thin ; breast narrow with mod- 
erate fore quarters ; the body long with flatfish sides and sharp chine ; loins 
wide and strong ; the belly large ; thighs broad and thick ; and legs and feet 
large, with coarse bone and muscle. They are very hardy and are well 
adapted for the bleak and exposed district of the Romney Marshes. They 
also bear stocking closer than other breeds, as it is not unusual to see six or 
eight fattening sheep placed to the acre. The improved breed produces 
sheep ready for market at from two to three years old, weighing from 120 to 
140 pounds. The fleece is valuable, weighing on the average eight pounds. 

The modern type of Kent sheep is a decided improvement over 
the breed as described by Wilson. The head is white and is fre- 
quently bare of wool and also hornless. Careful selection and 
breeding has reduced the size somewhat, but has produced a 
sheep more compact of frame and more easily fattened than the 
old sort. The back is broader, the ribs are longer, the coupling 
shorter, and the leg of mutton heavier and of excellent quality. 
In the improvement of the breed the fleece has been refined to a 
marked degree. The adaptability of the Kentish sheep to low- 
lying lands has caused it to be regarded with favor in eastern 
England and in some other sections, for it seems freer from foot 
rot than most breeds ; in fact, it is claimed that this breed on 
Romney Marshes is not affected with this disease at all. 

The Kent sheep in America is almost unknown. A few indi- 
viduals have been brought here in the past, but the importations 
have not succeeded in obtaining a permanent and satisfactory 
foothold. In 1904 a few poor specimens were imported and 
exhibited at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis, but 
persons familiar with the breed criticised them severely. There 
is no question but what Kent sheep have merit in their native 
county, and are suited to certain regions in the United States. 
In Australia the breed has met with favor and is imported to the 
British colonies to some extent. 



CHAPTER LXII 



THE BLACK FACED HIGHLAND 



The native home of Black Faced Highland Sheep is the more 
elevated section of Scotland, especially in the Highlands, in the 
counties of Perth and Dumbarton. Here this breed has been bred 
on the heather-topped hills, where the winters are rough and cold, 
for certainly one hundred and twenty-five years or more. 

The origin of the Black Faced Highland Sheep is unknown. 
Sheep of this sort have been known for a long period of time in 




Fic. 212. A Black Faced Highland ram, first prize in class at the Royal 
Agricultural Society of England Show, 1904. Photograph from William 
Cooper & Nephews, Berkhamsted, England 

the Highlands, where in earlier days they were not very pop- 
ular. The fact that this breed was extremely hardy and could 
endure on the higher mountains even better than the Cheviot gave 
it a foothold a half century or so ago, which it has since held. 

45- 



THE BLACK FACED HIGHLAND 



453 



The introduction of Black Faced Highland sheep to America first 
occurred in June, 1861, Hugh Brodie importing one ram and 
two ewes for Brodie & Campbell, New York Mills, New York. 
In 1867 this flock and its increase was purchased by T. L. 
Harison of Morley, St. Lawrence County, New York. Isaac 
Stickney of New York also imported a small flock about 1867 
for his farm in Illinois. Other than these very few of these 
sheep have ever been brought to America. 

Characteristics of the Black Faced Highland sheep. Both sexes 
have horns, those of the males being rather large, taking one or 
two spiral curves. The ewes' horns are small, thin, and curved, 




Fig. 213. A group of Black Faced Highland sheep. Photograph by 
H. B. Arbuckle, from the A'atioiial Stockman and Farmer 



but not spiral. The face is covered with hair, not wool, of either 
a solid black or a mottled white and black color. The nose is 
strong and prominent, the nostrils wide and black, and the ears 
short and small. The body is that of the typical mutton sheep, 
though not of heavy flesh type. The fleece is very long and coarse, 
often kempy, and very loosely covers the body. The breed belongs 
to the long-wool group, and the fleece is specially used in making 
carpets and coarse woolen goods. In temperament the breed is 
very wild and independent, quite unlike the heavier lowland sheep. 
In size Black Faced sheep are small to medium. 

The special value of the Black Faced Highland sheep is based 
on its hardy character and ability to withstand very rough 



454 



SHEEP 



exposure in winter in mountain regions where food is scarce ; 
and also for its mutton, which is popular in the British market 
because of its superior flavor and fine quality and grain. The 
fleece is not very valuable, and on ewes averages 3^ to 4! pounds 
unwashed. 

Cross-bred or grade Black Faced Highland sheep meet with 
favor in Scotland, giving a heavier fleshed type with the good 
quality of mutton of the pure-bred. Robert Wallace states that 
the produce of a Black Faced ewe by a Leicester ram is called 
a " cross " or " mule," and by a Cheviot ram a " half long." The 
latter name is given because. a Black Faced is sometimes termed 
the "short " sheep and a Cheviot the "long" sheep. As ewes 
these sheep of mixed breed are good milkers. 

The distribution of Black Faced Highland sheep is mainly 
over the Highlands of Scotland and in a small degree on the 
higher of the mountain regions of north England. Large num- 
bers are bred in the Highlands, and this with the Cheviot 
occupies most of the space at the Scotch shows. There is no 
flock-book society to promote the breeding of this sheep. 

The special field for Black Faced Highland sheep in America 
should be the mountain regions east and west, but more espe- 
cially the higher sections of the lower Alleghanies, where grass 
grows in aljundance. The Cheviot, however, is almost equally 
hardy and is far better suited to the American market. 



CHAPTER LXIII 

THE ANGORA GOAT 

The native home of the Angora goat is in the district of 
Angora in Asia Minor. Angora, the principal city, is about 220 
miles south by southeast of Constantinople, Turkey. This is 
a mountainous region 2000 to 4000 feet high, lying south of 
the Black Sea, forty degrees north latitude passing through 
it at Angora 200 miles from the sea. The climate has wide 
extremes of heat and cold. The rainfall is rather variable but 
light. The soil is frequently poor and free of vegetation. Forests 
occur to a considerable extent also. It is probable that this 
goat has inhabited this region for many centuries, dating back 
to days before the Christian era. 

Several varieties of goat in Angora are reported, each located 
in a special district. These according to Gatheral are the fol- 
lowing : (a) Yavan-Ova, having a heavy, lustrous fleece ; {b) 
Chorba, producing a very soft, fine mohair ; (c) Chnbouk-Ova, 
remarkable for length and fineness of fiber ; (d) Aycish, white of 
fleece, but lacking luster ; (c) Jocvas, having a bright, showy, but 
kempy fleece. Other varieties are also referred to. 

The introduction of the Angora goat to America dates back to 
1849, when the Sultan of Turkey presented Dr. James B. Davis 
of Columbia, South Carolina, with nine choice animals. These 
were long known as Cashmere goats, but evidence seems to 
show that they were true Angoras. These goats and their prog- 
eny were sold later to various people, but especially to Colonel 
Richard Peters, who bought in 1854. They were shown quite 
extensively and attracted much attention. From the Davis 
importation flocks became established over considerable terri- 
tory in many states. In 1863 large flocks were reported in 
Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Texas, Kansas, 
Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Maryland, New 

455 



456 iHE (;OAT 

York, and Massachusetts. A number of other importations 
followed that of 1849. In 1861 Mr. W. W. Chenery of Belmont, 
Massachusetts, made two importations, and later others in 1866 
and 1867. About 1867 Messrs. I. S. Diehl and C. S. Brown 
imported 160 head and placed them on the farm of Mr. Brown at 
Newark, New Jersey. A number of other importations followed 
the above, notably that of John S. Harris of California in 1 876 




Fig. 214. Hobson's African, first in aged Angora buck class at the I>ewis and 
Clark Exposition, Portland, Oregon, 1905. Weight of fleece 18.V pounds 
at thirteen months old, selling for $1.50 per pound. At head of the 
flock of William Riddell & Sons, Monmouth. Oregon. Photograph from 
L. A. Webster 

and Dr. W. C. Bailey of California in 1901, both of which 
gentlemen made personal selections in Asia Minor. 

A description of the Angora goat of improved type is quoted 
from the late Professor George F. Thompson, a well-known 
American authority on this animal : 

The Angora goat is smaller than the ordinarj- common goat. It weighs 
from 60 to 100 pounds, although some are frequently found that weigh 
considerably more, especially if fat. The back should be straight, with 



THE ANGORA (;OAT 



457 




shoulders and hips of equal height. A sloping rump is very objectionable. 
The chest should be broad, indicating good constitution, and the body 
round, legs short and strong. The head should not droop, but be clean-cut, 
with bright eye and broad muzzle ; avoid a pinched nostril. The horns are 
grayish, never black ; in the buck they are heavy, with an inward twist, 
inclining backward and to tiie outside. The doe's horns rise immediately 
upward and backward, slightly outward, with very little inclination to twist. 
In most animals the ears are pendent and from six to eight inches long, 
with an average width of about two inches, and well pointed. In some 
animals tlie ears are fox-like, 
— short, pointed, and pricked. 
There appear to be no other 
differences between the goats 
having the different kinds of 
ears. 

The fleece of the animals 
should be pure white, although 
there are colored Angoras. 
No colored spots on the skin 
should be tolerated. The 
fleece should cover the entire 
body, — as dense on the bellv 
and neck as on the back and 
sides ; should extend to the 
ears and jaw. While some are 
breeding for the topknot and 
for mohair on the face and 
lower legs, this is not an evi- 
dence that the animal is better 

than another that may not have the head and face covered. The mohair 
should grow to the length of about ten inches during a year, and hang in 
tight ringlets or wavy curls. The curl should extend entirely up to the skin. 

The Angora goat sheds its fleece each spring if not shorn. 
Some are hornless, though such are rather uncommon. The 
Angora has no strong musky odor, like the common goat, except- 
ing in the case of the male during the breeding season. 

The fleece of the Angora goat is commercially known as 
mohair. It differs from wool in having no exterior scales and 
not possessing the felting quality. Mohair is somewhat coarser 
than fine wool, but it is longer and much stronger. An average 
fleece weighs about three pounds. Riddle & Sons of Monmouth, 
Oregon, report that their buck Sultan, sweepstakes at the Lewis 
and Clark Exposition in 1905, sheared a fleece weighing i8j 



Fig. 2 1 5. Pasha Columbia, a great Angora sire 
and show buck, costing $1050, at the head 
of the flock of Mrs. M. Armer, Kingston, 
New Mexico. Photograph from the A'atioiial 
Stockman and Farmer 



458 



THK GOAT 



pounds, which they claim makes it the heaviest fleece on record. 
This mohair Hes over a short coat of hair known as kemp, which 
is hard and white, sometimes attaining a length of four inches. 
Kemp is a very objectionable fiber, as it is coarse and will not 
take the dyes used with mohair. Its presence in American flocks 
is materially due to the influence of common goat blood on which 
the Angora has been much crossed in the past. Very careful 
selection of breeding sires helps to greatly reduce this difficulty. 
The prices of mohair differ according to the demand and qual- 
ity- In Hradford, luigland, the mohair manufacturing center of 

the world, the price has 
ranged from 23 to 92 
cents a pound since 1856, 
though during the past 
twenty-five years it has 
ranged low rather than 
high. In 1 90 1 the aver- 
age price in the United 
States was about 25 cents. 
Late in 1905 choice comb- 
ing mohair was quoted in 
Chicago at 34 to 36 cents 
a pound. 

The value of the Angora 
as a mutton producer is 
not regarded commercially 
as very important. The 
flesh of the fat young 
Angora makes excellent mutton, although comparatively few find 
their way into the markets. Sold in the stock yards Angoras usu- 
ally bring a lower price than sheep. Some Angora breeders are 
enthusiastic over the superior quality of the mutton. Wethers may 
be shorn for some years and then fattened and sold for mutton. 

The Angora as a renovator of brush land has a distinct value. 
The goat is naturally a browser and not a grazing animal. In 
brush lands he is in his element, lie eats the slender tips 
and twigs and destroys young trees and brush very effectually. 
In Michigan, Wisconsin, and some other states large tracts of 




Fig. 216. Aztec 10664, the champion Angora 
goat of the 1902 shows. Bred by I). C. Tay- 
lor & Son and sold for $ 1 400 to Kemble Bros, 
of Iowa. Photograph from the Aa^/oj/a/ S^<u-/c- 
inan and Fanner 



THE ANGORA GOAT 



459 



brush land have been pastured to flocks of goats, which have 
material!)- re(hiced the cost of clearing the land for farm purposes. 

The distribution of Angora goats is very widespread. They 
are found in \arious parts of the world, but especially in Asia 
Minor, South Africa, and the United States. With reasonable 
care they seem adapted to a wide range of climatic conditions, 
and do well in the dryer southwestern states and in Wisconsin 
and the colder, moister north. A dry climate, however, seems to 
offer the best condition of health. At the present day Angora 
goats are found in nearly every state in the country, with very 
]arge flocks in New Mexico, Texas, and the southwest. 

The prolificacy of the Angora goat is not marked. Rarely more 
than one kid is dropped a year, though twins occur. Thompson 
states that on the southwestern ranches the average percentage of 
kids is about 70, with instances of flocks attaining 120 per cent. 

The price for Angora goats varies greatly. Many have changed 
hands on western ranches at two or three dollars a head, but very 
high prices have been paid. Pure-bred, fair specimens have sold 
at prices comparable with sheep of average breeding character. 
In 1 90 1, at the Kansas City Goat Show, the buck Columbia 
Pasha changed hands for $1050, while the next year Mr. A. 
Kemble of Iowa paid $1400 at the same show for the buck 
Aztec. Still later, in 1903, at the Kansas City Show, the buck 
Dick Junior, sweepstake of the show, sold for $1300. Lazarus, 
that sold in 1900 for $700, was a famous show buck and proved 
to be a breeder of much merit. The highest price ever paid for 
a doe in America was $900 for Oregon Beauty, champion year- 
ling at Kansas City in 1905. 

The American Angora Goat Breeders' Association promotes the 
interest of the breed. This is a young organization with its mem- 
bership mainly distributed in the far West. Goats are registered 
much as in other pure-bred live-stock associations. 



CHAPTER LXIV 

THE MILCH (]OAT 

The goat as a milk producer has long had a recognized place 
among the poorer people of the various countries of the world. 
Among common goats a yield of a quart a day is not uncommon. 
Some breeds of goats are quite heavy producers of milk, as will 
be shown further on. Goats' milk is quite white in color and 
contains about four and one-half per cent of fat and somewhat 
more albumen than cows' milk. Where goats are properly kept, 
under clean conditions, and the milk properly drawn and cared 
for, no unpleasant flavor or odor is connected with it. 

Varieties of milk producing goats occur in several countries, 
some of which are specially bred for their value as milkers. The 
common goat seen in America and the Angora produce milk, 
but milking families of these have not as yet been much developed. 
The following are the leading breeds of milch goats. 

The Maltese goat is especially bred on the island of Malta in 
the Mediterranean Sea. The island of 95 square miles supports 
a population of about 200,000 people, and nearly 30,000 goats 
and 900 cows are used in milk production. Maltese goats are 
usually hornless, the bt)dy is compact, and the legs short. The 
ears are carried rather horizontally and are fairly long. In color 
they are usually white, with some red markings, and have long 
hair. The udders are very large, of much capacity, and come 
quite near to the ground. This is one of the best milking breeds 
of goats. They milk for quite a long period, and the better 
individuals produce from three to four quarts a day. Whether 
this breed would do well in the cold sections of America, where 
much moisture is prevalent in winter, is not yet demonstrated. 
In the summer of 1905 the late Professor G. V. Thompson of 
the United States Department of Agriculture went to Malta and 
imported to this country 68 of these goats, and their adaptability 

460 



THI". MIIXH (lOAT 46 1 

to American conditions will be studied. Some Maltese goats 
were taken to Canada a few years ago, where it is said they 
have done very well. 

The Toggenburg goat. This breed is raised more particularly 
in the Toggenburg Valley in Switzerland, where it has been bred 
for centuries. This goat is a medium brown in color, with a 
white band passing along down each side of the face from eyes- 
to mouth. The breed is rather slender and lean of , body and 
neck. Horns may or may not occur, though it is regarded as a 







Fig. 217. A Toggenburg milch goat. Photograph from the 
Amer/can Sheep Breeder 

hornless breed. The ears are of moderate size and are usually 
carried somewhat erect. The males have a coarse beard and 
are rather more free of offensive odor than male goats of other 
breeds. The breed differs in character of coat of hair, some 
animals having a rough, long coat, others a short one, and still 
others one of a medium character. The udder seems capable of 
great capacity. When full it is carried high between the legs 
and has large, long teats. Many of these goats produce from 
four to five quarts of milk a day, while the best produce from 
five to six or even seven quarts. The breed is regarded as very 



462 THE GOAT 

haicU', and it is thought will be well suited to the more elevated 
regions in America. 

The Saanen goat derives its name from the Saanen Valley in 
Switzerland. It is the largest breed of that country, is lean and 
lank, is pure white or creamy white of color, and in general has 
short hair over the body excepting along the spine and at flanks 
and lower thighs. Thompson says : 

The does are especially beautiful, with slim, long, graceful necks and 
clean, breedy-looking heads. The head of the buck is decidedly masculine, 
but does not have the serious look of the Toggenburger. The breast is well 
developed ; as a rule the udder is very pretty and carried high. This is 
considered a hornless breed, but, as with the Toggenburgers, occasionally 
one is found with horns. 

There are many fine milkers in this breed, though the average 
will not show to quite so good an advantage as the Toggenburg. 
Peer states that " the best of them are probably the best in the 
world, giving from five to six quarts per day of the very best qual- 
ity." Thompson gives a record of lo goats which made annual 
records ranging from 423 to 951 quarts. 

The Appenzell goat is a breed also found in the Toggenburg 
Valley, Switzerland. The color is usually white, though some are 
dark or spotted. It is a breed that weighs about 1 10 pounds, ranks 
next to the two described breeds as a milker, and is very hardy. 

The Schwarzthal goat is especially found in the Canton Valais, 
Switzerland, and in the Rhone Valley. It is also known as the 
Glazier goat. This is a rather large breed of striking aj^pearance, 
with horns and tuft of long hair on the forehead, and slender 
legs. The front part of the body to back of the shoulders is 
black, while the balance of the body is white. The front hoofs 
are black and the hind ones are yellow. This is an extremely 
hardy breed, perhaps the toughest of any. It does, not yield as 
heavily of milk as some other breeds. 

The Langensalzaer goat is bred in the central part of Germany, 
in and about Thuringia. There are several types and colors. 
The better sort is a very good milker. 

The Nubian goat is found in Nubia, Upper Egypt, Abyssinia, 
and also in South Africa. It is very large and has long legs. The 
head is of striking appearance, being almost always hornless, 



THE MILCH GOAT 



463 



and has a remarkable Roman face with depressed nostrils. The 
lower jaw extends beyond the upper, showing the teeth. The 
ears are frequently very large, long, and droopy, or they may 
be short and pointed. The color is very bright brown or black. 
The hair is short on some specimens and long on others. The 
udder is large and the lobes are deeply divided, with very good- 
sized teats. This is one of the highest types of milch goats, is 
credited with as much as 
ten to twelve quarts of 
milk a day, and is said 
to rarely give less than 
four quarts per day. This 
breed has been crossed 
on other goats to special 
advantage. Nubian goats 
are very docile. They lack 
hardiness, being quite un- 
able to withstand cold. 

There are numerous 
other breeds of milch 
goats found in various 
parts of the world. 

The American Milch 
Goat Record Association 
was organized on Novem- ,. ^, ,,,,,. . . 1 ^^ 1 

° ru;. Ji5. 1 h\llis, an imported loggenburg 

ber 12, 1903* to promote doe, showing a very great development of 

the establishment of a the udder. Photograph from Professor F. K. 

■ 1 1 t • 1 i. • Cooke, Winnetka, Illinois 

milch-goat industry m 

America. At the second annual meeting of this association, in 
December, 1905, it was decided that milch goats imported here- 
after must be accompanied by a certificate satisfactory to the 
secretary as to their breeding and country of origin, and that 
from the year 1906 the qualification for native milch goats should 
be one quart of milk a day to entitle them to registry. 

The period of lactation of the goat varies according to the 
breeding and care. The common goat of this country produces 
milk from three to five months. In Europe, with the distinctly 
milking breeds, the period is more extended. There the plan is 




464 



'1H1-: GOAT 



to have one doe come fresli in the spring and milk for about six 
months, where two are used in the family, having the other kid 
in the fall. This provides a supply of milk for the entire year. 
The fecundity of the milch goat. Does usually drop two kids 
at one time, and occasionally three. It is stated by Thompson 
that there is a record of a Nubian goat which dropped eleven 




Yic. 219. Marina, an imported Saanen doe, owned by Professor F. K. 
Cooke, Winnetka, Illinois. Photograph from the owner 

kids within twelve months. The period of pregnancy is five 
months, as with sheep. 

The age attained by milch goats naturally varies. They have 
been known to live to be sixteen years old, but will probably 
attain to ten or twelve years of age with reasonable care. The 
doe is in her prime at from five to seven years of age. 

The prices for milch goats are rather indefinite. American 
goats are to be bought at all sorts of prices from $2 up to 
$10, depending upon the value to the owner. The best milkers 
of Malta sell at $18 to $2$, those of Switzerland at about $20. 
Peer states that Toggenburg does at one to two years old cost 
from $12 to {Si 5 per head before dropping their kids. In Syria 



THE MIT.CTI CX)AT 465 

and Egypt they fetch as low as $4. In England prices rule high 
for milch goats, ranging up to as high as $40 for selected home- 
bred, or to 3100 for the pure Toggenburger. At the present 
time a great deal of attention is being devoted to the milch goat, 
and this may result in materially higher prices. 

Importations of milch goats to America began in 1893, when 
Mr. W. A. Shafor of Ohio brought to this country four Tog- 
genburg goats which he purchased in England. In May, 1904, 
Mr. E. S. Peer of New York imported 16 Toggenburg and 10 
Saanen goats to this country for Messrs. W. J. Cohill of Mary- 
land, R. N. Riddle of New Jersey, W. M. Decker of New York, 
and S. K. Bayley of Massachusetts. Mr. Cohill also secured two 
goats from Carl Hagenback at the World's Fair, St. Louis, in 
1904, that Hagenback had brought from the Black Forest of 
Germany. These are supposed to be Schwarzwald goats. In 
1905 Professor Thompson imported 68 Maltese goats, as noted 
on a preceding page. 



466 SHEEP AND GOATS 

A FEW REFERENCE BOOKS ON SHEEP AND GOATS 

Those marked with a * are especially recommended. 

William L. Black, A New Industry, or Raising the Angora Goat. Te.xas, 1890. 

T. BoHM, Die Schafzucht, 2 vols. Berlin, 1883. 

*E. A. Carman, H. A. Heath, and John Minto, Special Report on the History 
and Present Condition of the Sheep Industry of the United States. Wash- 
ington, 1892. 

Le Four, Le Mouton. Paris, N.D. 

*Bryan Hook, Milch Goats and their Management. London, 1902. 

Mentzel, Die Schafzucht. Berlin, 1S92. 

L. A. MoRRELL, The American Shepherd. New York, 1S46. 

Stephen Powers, The American Merino. New York, 1887. 

Henry S. Randall, The Practical Shepherd. Rochester, 1863. 

Henry S. Randall, Fine Wool Sheep Hu.sbandry. New York, 1868. 

*Henry S. Randall, Sheep Husbandry. New York, 1S83. 

Dr. O. RoHDE, Die Schafzucht. Berlin, 1879. 

*S. C. C. Schreiner, The Angora Goat. New York, 1898. 

James Scott, Black Faced Sheep. Edinburgh, 1888. 

W. S. Spooner, The Sheep: History, Structure, Economy, Disease. London, 
1888. 

Henry Stewart, The Shepherd's Manual. New York, 1890. 

*Henry Stewart, The Domestic Sheep. Chicago, 1898. 

*G. F. Thompson, A Manual of Angora Goat Raising. Chicago, 1903. 

*G. F. Thompson, Information Concerning the Milch Goat. Washington, 1905. 

John Usher, The Border Breeds of Sheep. Kelso, 1893. 

*J. E. Wing, Sheep Farming in America. Chicago, 1905. 

Dr. William A. Rushworth, The Sheep. Buffalo, 1899. 

*JoHN Wrightson, Sheep: Breeds and Management. London, 1S93. 

*William Y0UAII', Sheep : Their Breeds, Management, and Diseases. London, 



PART IV— THE PIG 

CHAPTER LXV 

THE AMERICAN TYPE OF PIG 

The type of swine most valued in the United States possesses 
great compactness of form, breadth of back, fuUness of ham, 
shortness of limb, and is capable of fattening rapidly and matur- 
ing early. It is a type that in its highest-fed and most popular 
form contains a large amount of fat, especially in leaf lard and 
external covering. It represents the extreme development of 
meat production, and, as ordinarily corn fed in the states, is not 
looked upon with favor by people of other countries. It is often 
referred to as the lard type of pig, from its natural heavy fat 
production. In this connection it may be said that while this 
type is quite generally popular and approved of, the character 
and degree of flieshing is materially influenced by the sort of food 
fed. Even those breeds recognized as of the bacon type, kept 
and fed under the conditions of the corn belt, undergo a gradual 
evolution toward the type most popular in this country, losing 
much of the bacon-producing attributes. In connection with a 
consideration of this type it is to be borne in mind that the 
fattest specimens do not represent the best type. A pig may 
easily be made overfat. It would be in the interests of swine 
in general, if judges at shows deprecated and turned down exces- 
sively fat animals and placed suitable emphasis on breeding 
stock or fat stock, according to its purpose and merit. 

The general appearance of the pig should be compact and thick 
of body, involving shortness of head, broad back, strong hams, 
deep body, short legs, and plenty of quality, as shown in abun- 
dance and fineness of hair and strong bone and joints. The tem- 
perament should be mild yet active, for the disposition has much 

467 



468 



THE VUr 



to do with determining whether the animal is a desirable breeder 
or feeder. Size' or iveigJit have a bearing on the market price, 
and pigs of this type for size weigh heavy. Generally speaking, 
at the present time the average weight of the pig sc^kl on the 
market ranges about 225 pounds. 

The Jicad is short and broad in the best specimens, without 
much length of snout. Between the eyes the width should be 
fair in proportion to the rest of the head. Excessive fat about 
the eyes is quite undesirable. The cars should be placed well 
on the head, be neatly attached, and show refinement in quality 
of hair and texture. A large ear is undesirable, one of medium 




Fig. 220. A type of the fat or lard hog, a cross-bred Berkshire-Poland China, 
bred by the Ohio State University. Photograph by Uie author 



size and neatly pointed being preferred. A .smooth, round jowl, 
full and firm, yet not heavily fat and flabby is desirable. Wrinkles 
or seams on any part of the head are distinctly objectionable. 

The neck should not be long, but rather broad and short, with 
a smooth blending at head and shoulder. The tendency is 
toward a narrow neck on top ; too much width or depth does 
not often occur. 

The breast and cliest indicate constitution. When the breast is 
wide and deep, the breastbone carried well forward, and the curve 
about the chest good and strong both above and below, plenty of 
room for the heart and lungs is shown. A narrow chest is incon- 
sistent with vigorous development and good feeding c|ua]ities. 



THE AMERICAN TYPE OK ?I(; 469 

The sJiouldcrs should fit smoothly back into the body, showing 
no roughness or openness at the top. A smooth, broad, evenly 
fleshed shoulder on the fat pig is most desirable from the mar- 
ket point of view. The mature boar will show some thickness 
and heaviness of skin here at the " shields," those parts inherited 
from the wild boar as a protection in fighting. It is objection- 
able, however, even with the boar, to have notable thickness of 
shoulder, as this is quite liable to be transmitted. 

Thcfrotit icgs should show good position, superior bone, and 
shortness. Standing in natural position, viewed from in front, 
the legs should stand just under the shoulders, the knees straight, 
the toes directing forward, the entire position indicating easy 
posture. Pigs of narrow heart girth, at least of the floor of the 
chest, usually stand with the knees close together and are what 
is sometimes termed "knock-kneed." From one side the leg 
should come down true and plumb from the center of the 
shoulder, standing strong on the toes, with pasterns fairly erect 
and dew claws (the rudimentary toes on back of leg) well above 
the ground. A strong, well-sustained pastern is important. If 
the foot is weak and the pasterns badly depressed the animal 
shpws a tendency to support its weight improperly. A clean, 
smooth, hard bone, with strong, yet not coarse joints, represents 
the better leg development. Too fine and small a bone is often 
seen with pigs when they really should have a heavier bone to 
properly support the weight. 

The back and loin of the American type of pig in most favor 
is of medium length, has a slight arch from front to rear, the 
ribs are well sprung, and the loin is broad and thick. In the case 
of breeding stock the back may not appear wide, although feed- 
ing would soon give it considerable breadth. The width should 
be carried the entire length from shoulders to hips, offering 
excellent room for covering. As one views the back from front 
or rear, the width is carried uniformly. A tapering from front to 
rear is not in good form, indicating heaviness of shoulder and 
lightness of loin. As one views the back from the side, it 
should run rather parallel with the lower line. A droop is 
quite common, but this is the result of a weak back and 
so is objectionable. 



470 



THE PIG 



The Jiips, rionp, and iiaiii involve the highest-priced meat on 
the modern porker. The hips should be neatly placed and not 
prominent, and should be smoothly covered with flesh. The 
rump has a tendency to be droopy, with the tail set low, although 
good form calls for a long, broad, somewhat level rump, thick- 
fleshed, with the tail neatly attached fairly well up. Below the 
rump the hams carry down fairly straight behind or with some 
outward curve, then rounding into the lower thigh and twist 
above the hocks. A high-class ham viewed from behind is 
thick at the edge and low at twist, with considerable depth from 
the tail to the point where the hams join at twist. From the side 
the relative length is long from the hip point to lower corner 
of ham, while considerable side breadth shows, with a strong, 
well-turned lower thigh and hock joint. 

The Jmid legs in natural position should have strong hocks, 
wide and muscular, yet not fat, standing well apart when viewed 
from the rear, so that the legs appear quite plumb from that 
point. Viewed from the side the hocks should seem deep and 
the legs below carried down straight, with the pig standing 
strong on the toes. All the features of quality, bone, and 
strength of position desirable in the front legs are equally desir- 
able in the hind legs. 

The sides from shoulder to hind flank and ham require a 
long, well-arched rib. This furnishes a body of ample digestive 
or breeding capacity. Not only should the sides be deep, but the 
lower part of the body in good formation will be wide, thus pre- 
serving a good line from front to hind flank. Such a body as 
this, full and thick at the flanks, is associated with the animal of 
easy fattening power. 

The fleshing quality of the pig is most important. If an animal 
is well fleshed, the back, sides, shoulders, rump, and hams will be 
uniformly covered with meat, which will feel mellow yet firm, 
and not harsh and hard to the touch of the hand. The skin will 
be free of scurviness or roughness, and wrinkles will be quite 
lacking. This smoothness of covering is equally essential with 
the fat pig or breeding animal. Wrinkles often occur about the 
jowl or head and along the sides, furnishing decided obstacles to 
high-grade work in dressing the carcass at slaughter. 



THE AMERICAN TYPE OF PIG 47 1 

The hair of the pig indicates quality. A reasonable degree of 
fineness is desirable, this being associated with animals that 
dress out well in killing. Large, coarse bristles go with heavy 
joints and much bone and offal. Curly hair is often seen on the 
pig, but straight coats are more popular. The hair should not 
only be of good quality but also of a fair degree of abundance. 

The disposition of the fat type of pig is usually quiet and 
docile. Among individuals of the same breed, those which flesh 
up most readily and respond to feeding quickest, as a general 
thing are of the most quiet temperament. It is doubtless true 
also that the American breeds of swine differ to some extent 
in disposition and easy feeding quality. The Poland-China for 
example, is notable for its quiet and phlegmatic habits. As 
feeding progresses and the animal enters the fat stage, there is 
a natural tendency to become sluggish and sleep a great deal. 
This results in lack of vigor and strength a-foot. To avoid this, 
persons who fit hogs for the show ring compel the animals to 
exercise to a certain extent each day for some time prior to and 
during the show season. The more active temperament, of 
some breeds, however, notably those of the bacon type, do not 
usually require any special exercise. 



CHAPTER LXVI 

THE BERKSHIRE 

The native home of the Berkshire pig is England, and more 
especially the counties of Berkshire and Wilts in the south- 
central part. The climate is mildly temperate, the land more 
or less undulating, and the soil quite commonly a clay-loam, and 
the crops the small grains, roots, and grasses. As a whole the 
climate is very favorable to swine husbandry. The neighboring 
counties of Leicester and Stafford have also been prominently 
associated with the development of the breed. 

The foundation stock of the early Berkshire. In 1789 CuUey 
wrote : 

The most numerous breed of hogs in this island is that excellent kind 
generally known by the name of the Berkshire pigs, now spread through 
almost every part of England, and some places of Scotland. They are 
in general reddish brown, with black spots upon them, large ears hanging 
over their eyes, short-legged, small-boned, and exceedingly inclined to 
make readily fat. 

He also testifies to the large weight of the breed, and mentions 
one referred to by Young weighing over 1 1 30 pounds, and to 
another still larger. Laurence, in 1 790, agrees with Culley except- 
ing in bone, which he states was large, while he also adds that 
the muzzle turned up. 

The early improvement of the Berkshire was due to the use of 
Chinese, Siamese, and Neapolitan blood. In 1842 Professor Low 
wrote : 

The Berkshire breed has, like every other, been crossed and recrossed 
with the Chinese, or Chinese crosses, so as to lessen the size of the animals 
and render them more suited to the demand which has arisen for small 
and delicate pork. 

This crossing was regarded as necessary to prevent degeneration 
in shape and quality. 

472 



THE BERKSHIRE 



473 



The characteristics of the old type of Berkshire, after the addi- 
tion of foreign blood, were greatly improved. About 1830 they 
were classed as large, and, Youatt says, were sandy or whitish 
brown, spotted regularly with dark brown or black. The body 
was free of bristles and was covered with long, thin, and some- 
what curly hair. The ears were erect and fringed with long 
hair, the head and snout were short, the body thick and com- 
pact, the legs short, the skin thin, the flesh of good flavor, 
and the bacon superior. At this time the breed was regarded as 
one of the best in England, due to early maturity, easy fatten- 
ing, small bone, hardiness, and the prolificacy of the females. 




Fig. 221. MastL-qiifCe 77000, sccimd-pii/u llcrk>hn-_- i" ,!i ,j.i !|il- Louisiana 
Purchase Exposition, 1904. Sold by A. J. Lovejoy & Son, Roscoe, Illinois, 
for $2500 to W. S. Corsa of Illinois. One of the most famous sires of to-day. 
Photograph from Professor William Dietrich, Illinois University 



According to various early authorities there must have been con- 
siderable variation in color, size, and type of the early Berkshire. 
Prominent improvers of the early Berkshire were Richard 
Astley of Oldstonehall, who is credited by Professor Low as 
being the great improver of the breed, and Lord Barrington, 
who died in 1829. Sidney, who was a leading pig authority, in 
i860 wrote that Lord Barrington did a great deal toward improv- 
ing the Berkshire breed, the improved stock of that time nearly 
all tracing back to his herd. The methods of these two breeders 
do not seem to have been made public, and little is known of 



474 



THE PIG 



them. A half century ago William Hewer of Sevenhampton, 
Wiltshire, was a leading breeder and improver. 

Important modern improvers of the Berkshire in England as 
well as America are worthy of record here. In England, Russell 
Swanwick at Cirencester and the late Heber Humfrey at Abing- 
don for years bred with signal ability and did much for the 
breed. In America N. H. Gentry of Sedalia, Missouri, has long 
held a most distinguished place as a Berkshire breeder. In a list 
of prominent American breeders during the last twenty-five years 
of the nineteenth century high place should be accorded to the 
names of James Riley and I. N. Barker of Indiana, M. K. Prineof 
Iowa, A. J. Lovcjoy of Illinois, and J. G. Snell of Ontario, Canada. 

The introduction of the Berkshire pig to America first took place 
in 1823, according to A. B. Allen, who credits John Brentnall, 



^H 


ffipPI^II 


i« 




^^H 


Ws^g^^. 






H 


||HB 




K " 


jSBjH^iH."'^ 


^^^^B^^^^^^^^hBh^ ' 






i»*'^ -^^^^^'^j 









Fig. 222. Lyneham Lad, first-prize aged Berk.shire boar ut the Koyul Agri- 
cultural Society of England Show, 1904. Owned and e.xhihited by Sir 
Alexander Henderson. Photograph from William Cooper & Nephews, 
Berkhamsted, England 



an English farmer, who settled in the English neighborhood in 
New Jersey, with this importation. In 1832 Sidney Hawes, 
another English farmer, brought some Berkshires to America 
and settled near Albany, New York. Allen states that he owned 
pigs descended from each of these importations. In 1838 a few 



THE BERKSHIRE 



475 



pigs of the breed were imported to Canada. In 1839 Messrs. 
Bagg and Wait, English farmers who had settled in Orange 
County, New York, made a large importation, and this firm made 
several other importations later on. In 1841 A. B. Allen brought 
over forty head after carefully examining British herds, and later 
made other importations and did much to popularize the breed. 




Fig. 223. University Lee 72621, second-prize Berkshire boar in class over six 
and under twelve months at the Ohio State Fair, 1902. Sire of the grand- 
champion pen of barrows at the International Live Stock Exposition, 
1905. Bred by J. M. Hodson of Ohio, and used in the herd of the Ohio 
State University. Photograph by the author 

The Berkshire soon moved west. In 1835 a boar and sow were 
brought to Butler County, Ohio, from Albany, New York, while 
the Bagg and Wait importations soon found a market in Ken- 
tucky, Tennessee, Mis.souri, and the South. 

Important families of Berkshire pigs arc worthy of note. 
Among these are the Duc/icss, of which Royal Duchess 900 by 
Othello 259 is the founder; the Sal/ic, descended from Sallie I 
by Duke of Gloucester I ; the CJiaTvicr, descended from Royal 
Charmer 9082 by Exor 3891 ; the Lcc, descended from Minnie 
Lee 14606 by Exor 3891 ; the Nora, descended from Nora B. 
14052 by Liverpool Bob 104 17. In these families will be found 
the names oi many of the most illustrious animals of the breed 
that have lived in America. 



476 



THE PIG 



Famous Berkshire boars in the history of the breed in America 
make up an extended list. Among those prominent mainly for 
their influence on the breed are Othello 259, Lord Liverpool 
221, Charmer's Uuke 13360, Longfellow 16835, Baron Lee IV 
33446, Lord Premier 50001, Governor Lee 47971, Combination 
56028, Royal Windsor 22889, Model Duke 17397, Columbia's 
Duke 33855, and Masterpiece 77000. Of these Longfellow is 
regarded by many as the most distinguished sire of all, the 
greatest Berkshire boar that was ever bred in America, in his 
overshadowing influence on the breed. 

Characteristics of the Berkshire pig. The face of the modern 
Berkshire should be of medium length and gracefully dished ; 
excessive dish of face is not to be encouraged. The ears are 
carried erect or pointed slightly forward, often drooping consider- 
ably with age. The typical Berkshire dack is not so broad as that 
of the Poland-China, but is quite level and of moderate breadth, 
with considerable length of side, the ribs being fairly arched and 
long. The rum/> should be rather long and level, with the tail 
set high, though there is some tendency to shortness and droop- 
iness. In the correct type the entire back outline shows less arch 
than is characteristic of some of the other breeds, with square- 
ness at the hind quarter. The jow/ is only moderately full, the 
shoulders of medium thickness and breadth, and the hams rather 
deep and thick, well turned in the twist, though not excessively 
so. The legs should be fairly short, though frequently individuals 
are too leggy. The bone is of fair quality, and Berkshires prob- 
ably stand as well on their feet as any of the breeds of to-day. 

The color of the Berkshire has changed somewhat from early 
times. A black body generally, with a white streak in the face, 
more or less white on the tail, and four white feet make up the 
" six white points " generally characteristic of the breed. White 
frequently occurs, however, on the jowl or on the front arm or 
at the armpit by the shoulder. These colors need not occur in 
this exact degree, and if a white spot occur on the body else- 
where, there is no clause to disqualify in the American Berk- 
shire Herdbook. The color markings of English show Berkshires 
were studied by Mr. Heber Humfrey some years ago at the 
Royal Show at Windsor. Quoting from Mr. Humfrey's report : 



THE HERKSHIRK 



477 



We examined every Berkshire in the show. Taking them at all ages, 
there were 139 animals. We took the generally accepted standard of " four 
white feet, white tip of tail, more or less white in face, and a little or not, 
as the case may be, under the jowl, on the point of the elbow, or inside the 
ear," and we found on looking through our notes that we had marked i 19 
down as within the limits of this standard. Only half a dozen were described 
as having serious defects in the marking; the remaining 14 had only a 
single small spot, generally on the shoulder or between the ears ; one or two 
were on the sides, but several of them not large enough to attract notice if 
we had not been looking for them. Out of the half dozen which we thought 
might be ruled out of competition, only one had a second objection : this 
was a spot on the front and another on the back of the ham ; the second 
had a large sandy and white spot on the bottom of the shoulder ; a third 
had a black foot ; Nes. 4 and 5 had black tails, and the 6th a white ear. 

The writer knows of a registered boar in service with a white 
spot of three inches diameter on the back, and within recent 
years has seen a boar in the show ring and in service with hair 
noticeably tinted copper color. While these are only fancy 
points, uniformity of breeding would be promoted by the adop- 
tion of fixed standards of color markings, disqualifying when the 
color fell without the limitations. The British Berkshire Society 
in 1893 suggested that judges disqualify pigs notably irregular 
in marking or with black face or foot. 

The size of the Berkshire pig may by classed as medium to 
large. In 1842 Low wrote that " the true Berkshires are of the 
larger races of swine." In 1893 Professor Long wrote : 

Thirty years ago . . . some of Mr. Sadler's prize pigs under seven months 
old weighed 240 pounds each, although they were turned out into an orchard 
daily while fattening. The same gentleman exhibited, and won the first 
prize at Baker Street with a fat pig which weighed 856 pounds, the length 
of her body being 6 feet 4 inches and her girth 7 feet 6 inches. At that 
time, however, the ordinary weight of a well-bred Berkshire bacon hog was, 
when ready for the butcher, about 50 stone of 8 pounds (400 pounds), but for 
the curing of the best hams these were generally considered a little too large. 

The Berkshire is often advertised under the name " Large Eng- 
lish Berkshire," but in England but one Berkshire breed exists, 
and the title " Large English" is rather uncalled for and some- 
what misleading. Young pigs at six months old should easily 
weigh 175 pounds, and at one year about 300 pounds. The 
ordinary mature boar in breeding condition should weigh 500 



478 



THE PIG 



pounds, and the sows 400 pounds. Lord Premier 50001 at seven 
years old weighed 890 pounds, King Lee 27500 at ten months 
weighed 420 pounds, while the famous Longfellow 16835 at 17 
months weighed 726 pounds. 

The adaptability of the Berkshire to environment is of the first 
class. The breed is found growing successfully and meeting 
with favor in the colder, more northerly sections of America, 
where the winters are severe, and in the warmer southwest and 




Fig. 224. A yearling Berkshire sow, a prize winner at the Toronto Exposi- 
tion, 1905. Owned by Wilham Wilson, Brampton, Ontario. Photograph 
from Professor G. E. Day 

more temperate regions. Walker, however, in discussing the 
adaptability of the Berkshire to climate says : 

A.s far as our own actual experience goes, Berkshires do not prove nearly 
so profitable in the north of England and in Scotland as in tlie south, and 
this harmonizes with our remark that they love warmth and a genial clime. 

In .spite of this opinion it is doubtless true that no breed of 
swine is bred and fed under more varied conditions with the 
success that is attained with the Berkshire. 

The early-maturing qualities of the Berkshire are very good. 
There are those, however, including the author, who do not give 
them first rank in this respect. Individual Berkshires may fatten 
rapidly and mature early, but in a broad comparison of breed 



THE BERKSHIRE 



479 



maturity the Poland-China would have the advantage, while many 
would accord first place to the Duroc-Jersey and Chester White. 
The Berkshire as a grazing pig ranks high wherever fairly 
tried. On the clover fields of the middle West they thrive to 
perfection, while rape pasture in the more northerly sections 
seems well suited to them. In general pasturage in America 
Berkshires quite hold their own. Writing of the Berkshires as 
foragers, Walker states that they are hardly surpassed so long 
as in a temperate climate. He says : 

You may see herds of a score or two each, any year towards October, 
running over the wide stubble fields on the borders of Wiltshire, nearly 
average pork, and yet they have made their growth and their flesh pretty 
much on waste material, i.e. shed corn, weeds, roots, pasturage, and so on. 

The Berkshire as a feeder and fattener has had extensive trial 
both in Europe and in America. In the records made a high place 
has been accorded the breed. Numerous American experimental 
stations have used pigs of the breed in feeding experiments from 
which the following records are quoted. In 23 trials, involving 
123 Berkshires fed at eight institutions iii the United States 
and Canada, it required 369 pounds of feed for each 100 pounds 
of gain in live weight, the Tamworth, Chester White, and Poland- 
China surpassing the Berkshire in this respect. In breed tests 
at the Iowa Experiment Station the Berkshire made an average 
daily gain of .98 pound, the Poland-China .90, and the Chester 
White .89 pound, the cost per 100 pounds gain being $2.33, 
$2.23, and 1^2.46 respectively. At the Ontario Agricultural Col- 
lege the average of trials for four years show almost identically 
the same daily gains, requiring a less amount of meal than any 
other breed, that is, 378^ pounds for 100 pounds of gain. At 
the Massachusetts Experiment Station seven Berkshires, fed 140 
days, made an average daily gain of 1.16 pounds each, requiring 
289 pounds of feed for 100 pounds gain. From the records 
quoted above or published elsewhere it may be seen that the 
Berkshire as a feeder ranks well, though the average of breed 
trials do not give it first place. Among British authorities on 
swine Professor Long takes high rank, and in his Book of the Pig 
he writes of "its comparative slowness as a feeder," and says 
that it is generally found that a fast-feeding Berkshire has not 



48o 



THIC PIG 



only alien blood in its veins, but that, when killed, it exhibits far 
too large a proportion of fat. 

The quality of Berkshire pork, viewed from the standpoint of 
the American market, is of the very best class. Fed in the same 
manner, in comparison with the Poland-China, Chester White, 
and Duroc-Jersey, the Berkshire will show a class of meat with 
a larger percentage of lean than any of them. In feeding experi- 
ments conducted by the author at the Indiana station, in a com- 
parison of Berkshires and Poland-Chinas bearing on the influence 
of food on carcass, the larger percentage of lean to fat in the 




Fig. 225. A pure-bred Berkshire barrow, bred by the Ohio State Uni- 
versity, one of the grand-champion pen at the International Live 
Stock Exposition, Chicago, 1905. Photograph by the author 



Berkshire was strikingly shown. The meat of this breed has a 
fine grain and, when not all corn fed, a desirable blending of fat 
and lean. In certain localities where select sausages are made 
Berkshire pork has been relied upon for securing superior quality. 
Where properly fed this breed makes a bacon pig of high class, 
and is so regarded in Great Britain, though it may not be the 
equal of the Large Yorkshire or Tamworth in this respect." 

The cross-bred or grade Berkshire, where fair samples of pigs 
are used in breeding, merit high praise. A cross of Berkshire 
boar on Poland-China sows produces offspring that feed rapidly 
and sell well, the two breeds blending admirably. This cross 
gives more vigor and a better feeder. Also a cross of the 



THE BERKSHIRE 



481 



Berkshire on the Chester White female is productive of a better 
feeder than the sire, with a class of pork superior to that of the 
dam. The great value of the Berkshire in crossing is amply- 
demonstrated from the fact that the blood of the breed has been 
used to improve that of other breeds for over a century, and no 
doubt has done much to help the most prominent breeds of 
to-day in their early stages. Sidney states that Fisher Hobbs, 
who did much in improving British pigs, used the Berkshire as 
a cross on his Essex pigs, and thereby size and condition were 
materially affected. In fact, so strong was the Berkshire influ- 
ence that some twenty-eight years after the cross was made some 




Fig. 226. Three pu it- bred Ikik^hires, the pen of grand-champion barrows 
over all pure-breds, grades, and crosses at the International Live Stock 
Exposition, Chicago, 1905. Bred and exhibited by the Ohio State Uni- 
versity. Photograph by the author 

of the young Essex reverted to their alien ancestor, and were, in 
reality, exact types of the true Berkshire pig. Mr. W. H. Wykes, 
an experienced breeder, according to Long, finds that the best 
crosses are made by the Berkshire on the Black Suffolk and the 
Tamworth. The value of the Berkshire boar in grading up a herd 
is unquestioned. Feeders of such blood always command the 
top market price in America. 

The fecundity and prolificacy of the Berkshire is of a fair degree 
of merit. An extensive study of the relative prolificacy of three 
breeds of swine (the Berkshire, Poland-China, and Chester White) 
by Dr. A. W. Bitting shows that the average size of 400 Berk- 
shire litters was 8.22 pigs, while 600 Chester W'hite litters 
averaged 8.96 pigs and 1086 Poland-China litters averaged 
7.45. These records were based on herdbook figures of sizes 



482 THE PIG 

of litters. There are many large litters of Berkshire pigs, and 
litters of ten are not uncommon. Walker states that about seven 
or eight at a farrow are reckoned an average family for even the 
older sows. William Ashcroft, a successful English breeder, is 
quoted by Professor Long as saying that the tendency to pro- 
duce medium litters, of say six to eight, may be corrected by 
breeding less closely. " If unrelated stock pigs are used," says 
Ashcroft, "the litters will come pretty regularly twice a year, 
and average about eight to eleven." In the United States the 
tendency with the heavily corn-fed sow is to produce smaller 
litters than would be the case with a less-fattening diet. In 
general the Berkshire is not lacking in fecundity. As nurses 
and mothers the sows may be regarded as in the first class. 

The prepotency of the Berkshire is of high merit. Being one 
of the oldest breeds, long bred with care, its prepotency has 
become well established. No breed of swine has a more beauti- 
ful conformation, and where bred pure this is easily transmitted 
from generation to generation. 

The style and finish of the Berkshire are worthy of comment. 
By many it is rightly regarded as the aristocrat of the swine 
family. The symmetrical outline, with pricked-up ear and well- 
turned head, give an attractive finish and style which assists 
materially in making this breed popular with many people. 

The distribution of the Berkshire pig is very widespread. It is 
found in various parts of England, although more generally in the 
south section. It is also found to some extent in Scotland, Wales, 
and Ireland. On the continent of Europe the breed is not so com- 
mon, although it has been more or less exported to the various 
European countries. In the British provinces of Canada and 
Australasia the Berkshire is common. In the United States no 
breed is more widely distributed than this, and it is generally 
found all over the Union, although it is perhaps most common 
in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wiscon- 
sin, Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. 

Organizations for the promotion of the Berkshire pig exist in 
England and the United States. The American Berkshire 
Swine Breeders' Association was organized in 1875 at Spring- 
field, Illinois, since which time to January, 1906, twenty-five 



THE BERKSHIRE 483 

herdbooks have been published, including the registration of 
90,000 pigs. The National Berkshire Record Association was 
organized March i, 1893, at Indianapolis, Indiana. This society 
up to 1905 had published seven herdbooks, including the regis- 
tration of about 9000 animals. This organization is now defunct. 
The British Berkshire Herdbook, published by the British Berk- 
shire Society, first appeared in 1885. Twenty volumes have thus 
far appeared, registering about 10,000 animals. 

High prices for Berkshire pigs have been paid to a limited 
degree. In 1889 Mr. N. H. Gentry sold the yearling boar 
Model Duke 17397 at private sale to Andrew Smith of Cali- 
fornia for ^750. Mr. Gentry paid $700 for Lord Liverpool 221 
in England, and states that he sold about $7000 worth of his 
direct offspring, and also received about $1500 in cash for his 
services on sows sent him by breeders from all over the country. 
Along in the seventies the boar Robin Hood 801 was sold 
for $1400 by T. S. Cooper of Pennsylvania to W. C. Norton of 
Pennsylvania. The three-year-old boar Columbia's Duke 33855 
sold at the Reuben Gentry auction on November 16, 1898, at 
Springfield, Illinois, for $1200 to Berry & Juneman of Barclay, 
Illinois, the highest price ever paid at auction for a Berkshire 
pig up to that time. In 1903 Mr. G. C. Council of Illinois paid 
Mr. N. H. Gentry $1500 for the boar Lord Premier 50001 by 
Baron Lee IV 33446. This boar died in 1905, after which Mr. 
Council bought Premier Longfellow 68600 of Mr. Gentry for 
$2000. In 1905 Mr. A. J. Lovejoy of Illinois sold the boar 
Masterpiece 77000 to W. S. Corsa of the same state for $2500. 
In the summer of 1906 James Ourollo of Missouri sold to F. W. 
Morgan of Wisconsin the Berkshire boar Lord Bacon 87415 for 
$3000. This boar was sired by Speculator 80081, a son of 
Masterpiece. On August 29, 1906, at the auction sale of G. C. 
Council of Illinois, the boar Lord Premier's Rival 92805 sold 
for $3200 to I. L. Weirick of the same state. Lord Premier 2d 
92708 at the Council sale was sold to Overton Hall Farm of 
Tennessee for $1600, the highest price yet paid for a Berkshire 
under 12 months of age. Many Berkshire pigs have changed 
hands at $100 to $500 per head. 



CHAPTER LXVII 

THE POLAND-CHINA 

The locality in which the Poland-China pig originated is in 

Butler and Warren counties in southwestern Ohio. This is an 
undulating region with a prevailing clay-loam soil, excepting in 
the river bottom. The Great Miami flows through Butler 
County, the valley of which is twelve miles wide and very fertile. 
The Little Miami Ri\er drains the greater part of Warren 
County. Corn, wheat, oats, grass, and clover are grown exten- 
sively in these two counties, which cover about 850 square 
miles. Hamilton County, Ohio, and Union and W^aync coun- 
ties in Indiana were also associated wath early Poland-China 
development. All these five counties are grouped together. The 
climate is fairly temperate both summer and winter, typical of 
the central Wx^st, east of the Mississippi. 

The origin of the Poland-China pig is not clearly understood. 
In the past considerable discussion has taken place concerning 
the accuracy of statement of various persons regarding the blood 
used in the early days of the formation of the breed. Radical 
difference of opinion has existed on this point. In important 
essentials the history of the establishment of the breed is very 
well understood. 

The early breeds or types of swine of the Miami Valley were 
known as the Warren County pig, the Russian, Byfield, Big 
China, Irish Grazier, and Berkshire. Each of these and perhaps 
others assisted in forming the Poland-China breed. Previous to 
1 8 16 two breeds were known in the Miami Valley, the Russian 
or Russia and the Byfield. 

The Russian pig is described as generally white, with long, 
coarse hair, a long and coarse head, with a narrower ear than 
the common pigs of the region had. The breed possessed a 
superior length and height, the bone was large and fine, and 

4S4 



THi: POLAND-CHINA 



485 



the pigs stood well 011 their feet, and were quiet of temperament. 
These pii;s sometimes reached large size. 

The Byfield pig was of two types, both being white in color. 
One was very large, with long, flat sides and heavy, lopped ears ; 
the other was more refined, with small ears pointing noseward, 
with broad back, deep chest, large jowl, short nose, dish face, 
and thin hair. 

Previous to 18 16 the Russian and Byfield breeds were very 
generally bred and their blood mingled with the common pigs 
of the community. 

The Big China breed of pigs was introduced into the Miami 
Valley in 18 16, one boar and three sows having been brought 
from Philadelphia by John Wallace, a trustee of the Shakers' 




Fig. 227. Globe Perfection, first-prize Poland-China boar in the yearling class 
at the Ohio State Fair, 1905. Bred and exhibited by Edward Klever & 
Mather, Bloomingburg, Ohio. Photograph by the author 

Society of Union Village, Butler County, whose members had 
much to do with the development of the Poland-China breed. 
The boar and two sows were white, while one sow had some 
sandy spots in which were small black spots. This was a 
medium-sized breed of unknown ancestry, of fine form, small 
head and ears, short legs and fine bone, and superior feeding 
qualities. Shepard thinks this may have been the Grass breed 



486 THK VIC. 

known in Maryland, Virginia, or Pennsylvania, or the Bedford or 
Parkinson hog. Used on the Russian and Byfield crosses the 
Big China produced very superior feeders and much improved 
the character of Miami Valley pigs, resulting in what became 
widely and favorably known as the IVarreu CoiDity hog. Between 
i8i6 and 1835 the swine industry of southwestern Ohio had a 
great impetus, due to the beneficial effects of this cross. 

The Berkshire as an element in Poland-China evolution first 
attracted attention in 1835, when Munson Beach of Lebanon, 
Butler County, introduced some pigs of this breed from New 
York State. These Berkshires had erect ears, were stylish in 
appearance, and at once met with much favor. Others soon in- 
troduced Berkshires, and up to 1842 they were extensively used 
on the Miami Valley pigs. The Berkshire gave more symmetry, 
greater activity, more quality, and the black color to the Warren 
County hog. 

The Irish Grazier as a factor in Poland-China history was in- 
troduced into Warren County by William Neff of Cincinnati, who 
imported from Ireland in the fall of 1839. This was a white, 
thinly-haired hog, varying somewhat in size and type. The Neff 
stock had an erect ear, a long body with superior back, excellent 
legs, and very fine hams. For several years Irish Grazier stock 
was mingled with the Miami Valley mixture, but the pure-bred 
stock soon became extinct, not, however, until it had assisted in 
the improvement of the Warren County hog. Mr. Cephas Hol- 
loway, who from 18 13 for very many years lived in the Shaker 
community at Union Village, stated that "the two breeds — the 
Berkshires and Irish Graziers — were extensix'ely used in mak- 
ing crosses by our best breeders of swine in Warren, Butler, 
Hamilton, Clinton, and Montgomery counties." In 1871 Mr. 
Tytus, an extensive pork packer from 1836 to i860, said, "The 
Warren County breed was greatly improved by crossing with 
the Berkshire and Irish Grazier." From 1845, at least, up to 
the present time, it is claimed, no foreign blood has been used 
in the development of the Warren County pig, or what later 
became known as the Poland-China. 

The adoption of the name Poland-China has an important his-, 
tory. The name "Poland " or '* Poland and China " had been given 



THK POLAND-CHINA 487 

to herds of Miami Valley pigs by certain breeders as early as 
along in the sixties. Mr. Ayers McCreary and Mr. D. M. Magie 
claimed that their pigs were a combination of Poland and Big 
China blood. Mr. A. C. Moore of Illinois, who formerly lived 
in Ohio, also termed his pigs Poland and Chinas. These men 
in particular, and some others, claimed that a Poland breed of 
pigs had been used, ])resumably introduced to America by Polish 
settlers. Much controversy developed over the accuracy of the 
claim that such a breed as Poland had ever been used in Warren 
County. More or less investigation followed, and no satisfactory 
evidence seemed to support the claim. Evidence was secured, 
however, to show that in one neighborhood an individual used 
the word Poland " to designate the progeny of a particular ani- 
mal that had been obtained from Asher Asher, who was a Polan- 
der by birth and who many years ago resided for a time in Butler 
County, some five or si.x miles south of Monroe." After an 
investigation of this subject of origin of the breed a committee 
reported to the National Swine Breeders' Convention at Indian- 
apolis, Indiana, in November, 1872, on the origin of the Poland- 
China breed, and the report was accepted. In this report no 
recognition was given to the influence of Poland blood, but 
the committee recommended that " in view of the difificulties 
in making a change in the name of any breed, that the said 
name of Poland-China be recognized as the accepted name of 
said breed." 

The improvers of the Poland-China pig in the earlier days of 
its development represented numerous intelligent farmers and 
stockmen particularly in the Miami Valley. The Shakers of Union 
Village in Warren County were most prominent in this work, 
and the herds of various breeders who later obtained distinction 
traced back to Shaker breeding. John Harkrader of Springboro, 
Warren County, wh(j has been classed as one of the originators 
of the breed, developed a herd generally recognized as being 
of great merit, from which descended much prepotent blood. 
Most prominent among the promoters of the breed forty years 
ago were D. M. Magie of O.xford, Butler County, Ohio, who claims 
to have originated the Poland-China ; Alexander Young and 
James Duffield of Somerville and John Irvin of Darrtown, all of 



488 THE PIG 

Butler County, Ohio ; and A. C. Moore of Canton, Illinois. Magic 
and Moore extensively advertised the breed and did much to 
bring it before the public. The herds of L. N. Bonham, estab- 
lished at Oxford in 1871 ; of Edward and J. M. Klever at 
Bloomingburg, established in 1873 ; of James Ilankinson, Car- 
lisle Station, established in 1870; of W. C. Hankinson at Blue 
Ball, established in 1857 or 1858; of J. Douthett at Xenia, 
Greene County, established in 1863 ; and of Noah Coler & Son at 
Liberty, established in 1868, were prominent among the Ohio 
herds of influence thirty years or more ago. 

Poland-China sows of note date back many years. The fol- 
lowing were early foundation sows : Bessy Pugh 88, Lady Pugh 
5 16, Lady Rue 518, Old Warner Sow 714, Queen Duffield 804, 
Queen of Black Bess Tribe 808, White Bess 1000, and White 
Face 1002. In addition to these early ones of special promi- 
nence are F's Black Bess 304, foundress of the noted Black 
Bess family ; The Old Harkrader Sow 950 ; Graceful i 554, foun- 
dress of the Graceful family; Beauty 2558, dam of Tecumseh 
4339 and foundress of the Tecumseh family; Cora Shellen- 
berger 2880, dam of Success 1999, a famous sire ; Lady Duffield 
3776, dam of Tom Corvvin 2d 2037, foundress of the Corwin 
family ; Bess Stribbens i 168, foundress of the U. S. family ; 
Sunshine 96140, dam of the noted Ohio boar Ideal Sunshine 
37885 ; Bessie Wilkes 80820, dam of Chief Perfection 32199, 
the head of the Perfection family ; and Galena 99316, a famous 
show and brood sow of recent years. Much of the best Poland- 
China blood traces back to The Old Harkrader Sow 950. 

Poland-China boars of note make up a long list. P^specially 
prominent among these as great sires are Alex No. i, Butler 93, 
John 3d 311, World Beater 12 13, Perfection 447, Young Per- 
fection 631, Old Sweepstakes 253, Success 1999, Tom Corwin 
2d 2037, Give or Take 1 585-1667, Tecumseh 4339, Ideal 
Black U. S. 29505, Ideal Sunshine 37885, Chief Perfection 
39931, and Chief Perfection 2d 42559 A-45395. The last-named 
is regarded by many as the greatest Poland-China sire in the 
history of the breed. Farrowed in 1896, he was still in active 
service in 1905, with a long list of distinguished progeny and 
their descendants. 



I 



THE POLAND-CHINA 



489 



Of more recent boars the following are quite celebrated ani- 
mals : Perfect Perfection 80971, Thickset 71221, Perfection I 
Know 77521, Perfection ¥.. L. 71635, and High Roller 84255. 

Characteristics of the Poland-China pig. The /lead is of medium 
length and breadth in good specimens, with a rather full jowl 
below. The face is classed as straight, the nose and space from 
below the eyes to nostrils being free of dishing. The checks tend 
to be rounding and full and frequently are somewhat seamed. 
The ears should be fine and break over at the top third into a 




Fig. 22S. Miss Roosevelt 13844S, first-prize Poland-China sow in class six 
months or under at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904. Shown 
by Shellenberger & Keller of Ohio. First prize in class at Ohio State 
Fair, 1905. Owned and exhibited by Charles E. Keller, Newark, Ohio. 
Photograph by the author 

neat droop ; thick, heavily attached ears are objectionable. The 
neck of the Poland-China tends to be short and thick, tho. shoulders 
a bit prominent but well covered, the back strongly supported 
with a gradual yet moderate arch the entire length, the loins and 
ribs being thickly covered, wide, and strikingly arched in well- 
fattened specimens. The sides have but a moderate length, with 
an excellent depth. The i-ump is of medium length but is fre- 
quently somewhat low, so that the entire upper line of the pig 
from ear to tail has a more curved outline than some other breeds. 
The hind quarter is characterized by great thickness of flesh, the 



490 



THK PKr 



hams being thick for the entire length from top to bottom, with 
a full, deep twist between. The legs are shorter with this breed 
than with some others, but too refined a bone and not the strongest 
of pasterns are common. When heavily fed and made to carry 
much weight for the age, the feet are frequently poorly supported 
at the toes. Taking the entire form into consideration, no breed 
shows such compactness and great meat-producing capacity on 
such short legs as does the Poland-China. Its most characteristic 
features to the onlooker are the color, straight nose, droopy ear, 
very broad and curved back, superior hams, and short legs. 

The color of the Poland-China pig has undergone something of 
an evolution. Originally the use of white pigs formed a leading 
feature in the development of the breed, but the advent of Berk- 
shire blood caused a change to a darker type. Thirty years 
ago large white or sandy markings were common on the body. 
Twenty-five years ago many "spotted" pigs were registered in 
the OJiio Poland-China Record, although at this time black pigs 
with white points were receiving special attention. The older 
breeders were attached to the lighter colors, but the solid black 
color with white feet, tail, and face met with show-ring favor 
and attained a popularity which has held up to date, although 
white elsewhere argues no impurity of blood. This uniform color 
marking is said to be largely due to the influence of the boar 
Tom Corwin 2d 2037. 

The size of the Poland-China pig classes it among the middle- 
weight breeds. Formerly very large weights were attained, but 
the modern demand for a more refined and smaller market type 
has caused the development of less scale. Pigs fed for market 
will easily attain 200 pounds at six months, while 250 pounds is 
not a rare weight with good feeders. Boars at one year old should 
weigh about 300 pounds, and sows 250 to 275. At full maturity 
boars should easily weigh 500 pounds and sows 400 pounds in 
breeding form. Among some of the well-known Poland-China 
boars Chief I Know 11992 weighed 650 pounds. Model Boy 
13959 650 pounds, and Lookout 32451 700 pounds in breeding 
form at maturity. 

The adaptability of the Poland-China to environment is at 
least medium. On the lower lying lands within the corn belt 



THK POLAND-CHINA 



491 



in the Mississippi Valley it has prospered exceedingly. In the 
rouL;her, cooler sections in the northeast or on the more hilly lands 
it has not done so well. As a breed, however, it readily adapts 
itself to a range of conditions comparable with other breeds. 

The early-maturing qualities of the Poland-China are of the 
first rank, and it has long been famous for this quality. No 
other breed will finish off so early in fat form as will this. In 
an address on the Poland-China, Mr. L. N. Bonham, a leading 
authority on the breed said : 

To show that this breed had, in 1870, attained unsurpassed excellence 
in their readiness to fatten at any age, and their rapid growth, we quote 
the weights of two lots of pigs fattened when eleven months old. 

One lot of 30 averaged gross 384 pounds 

" " " 10 " " 410 " 

" " " 38 " " 528.89 " 

" " " 2 " " 719 " 

The net average of this last lot of 40 pigs was 531 pounds. 

In the change in the market from a larger, older type of fat 
hog to a smaller, younger one weighing about 225 pounds the 
Poland-China has been a leading element in meeting the new 
demand. On the great Chicago hog market Poland-China blood 
to-day is a most prominent and leading feature, due largely to 
the ability of feeders to mature this breed early. So strongly 
has this habit become fixed that a tendency exists with breeding 
stock to mature too early and so not attain the most desirable 
scale and size. 

The Poland-China as a grazer is well suited to blue grass and 
clover pastures, where it h;is long been a common figure in the mid- 
dle West. The general custom of the western farmer is to pasture 
his jMgs in the summer season, and this breed long ago showed 
its suitability for this pur{)ose, keeping easily with little grain. 

The Poland-China for feeding and fattening is the most popular 
and common breed at this time in America. What has already 
been stated shows that the early-maturing qualities have a valu- 
able application in the feed lot or stye. As based on extensive 
feeding experiments, the breed will show unusually good gains at 
very fair cost. In 22 tests involving 96 pigs at eight experiment 
stations and agricultural colleges, as reported by Rommel, it 



492 



THE PIG 



required 357 pounds of feed for 100 pounds of jj^ain with the 
Poland-China, surpassing the Berkshire, Large Yorkshire, and 
Duroc-Jerscy. At the Iowa Experiment Station, in a breed trial 
including sows and pigs before and after weaning, it cost ^3.15 
per 100 pounds of gain before weaning and $2.23 after wean- 
ing with the Poland-China, materially surpassing the Berkshire, 
Chester White, Duroc-Jersey, and Tamworth, being excelled by 
the Yorkshire only. In feeding trials at the Ontario Agricultural 
College the Poland-China made an average daily gain of .9 pound, 




Fig. 229. Orpha 62532, an excellent Poland-China sow foniKi l\ ..wmJby 
the Illinois University. Photograph from Professor William Dietrich 

requiring 401 4 pounds of grain for 100 pounds of gain. In the 
Ontario trials the economy of gain by the Poland-China was 
the poorest of any breed, which is rather an unusual result. The 
following figures, published by Henry in Feeds and Feeding, 
indicate the value of the Poland-China as a feeder. 



Station Tested at 


Days 
Feu 


Weight at 
Becinninc; 


Daily 
Gain 


Feeu per too 
Lb. Gain 


Per Cent 
Dkessed 
Carcass 


Massachusetts . . . 

Vermont 

Michigan 

Wisconsin .... 

Dnturin 


134 
160 

154 
224 

I 17 


30 11). 

34 " 
81 " 

100 " 


1. 3 1 lb. 

1.20 " 
1.20 " 
1.04 " 

T.o;; " 


307 lb. 
371 " 
514 " 
524 " 
507 " 


81.7 
84.0 
84.7 

77-18 



THE POLAND-CHINA 



493 



These figures arc very creditable. It is noteworthy that the per 
cent of dressed carcass secured by the Michigan station shghtly 
excelled all other breeds at the different stations. 

The character of Poland-China meat has been subject to criti- 
cism from certain sources during the past few years. The export 
trade has called for a lean type of bacon, such as is only pro- 
duced by a lean type of pig, or one that is fed a nitrogenous 
ration. The Poland-China produces rather more external fat than 
do most other breeds. This is readily seen in comparing the car- 
casses of pigs of this breed with those of other breeds. There is 
more lard, more mechanically separable fat, and a greater thick- 
ness of surface fat. In a carcass study of the Poland-China and 
Berkshire made by the writer this was clearly shown. This has 
also been demonstrated at the Wisconsin station, where the loin 
fat of the Poland-China was 1.75 inches thick, the back 2.5 inches, 
and the shoulder 2.75 inches, exceeding in thickness both Berk- 
shire and Yorkshire. The American trade, however, does not 
object to this fat, nor is the price paid by the packer any less. 
So far as the grain and quality of Poland-China meat is con- 
cerned, when not too fat it compares very favorably with the 
Chester White and Duroc-Jersey. Fed on a nitrogenous ration, 
the Poland-China produces a very acceptable carcass for the 
American market. 

The cross-bred or grade Poland-China is the most popular pig 
of to-da)-. Purc-brcd sires on common sows furnish the large 
majority of the porkers which find their way to the great markets 
of this country. These pigs fatten rapidly, mature early, and the 
females show more vigor and greater breeding power than the 
pure-breds. Poland-China boars crossed with Duroc-Jersey, Berk- 
shire, or Chester White sows produce offspring which feed better 
and more rapidly than the pure-breds. If Poland-China sows seem 
to lack in prolificacy, a cross with a boar of one of the other breeds 
mentioned will increase the size of litter. The writer has also 
obtained high-class feeding pigs by mating Large Yorkshire boars 
to Poland-China sows. This cross fed rapidly and carried ample 
flesh, vet did not become too fat, dressing out a choice carcass. 

The lack of fecundity and prolificacy of the Poland-China has 
subjected this breed to much criticism of late years. Formerly, 



494 



'1'hp: fig 



when the type was larger, it is probable that the sows may have 
produced somewhat larger litters than at the present time. The 
smaller, fat type of sow will not breed so easily or have such 
large litters as the larger, more rangy sort. Many breeders of 
recent years have seriously criticised the fecundity and reproduc- 
tive power of this breed, and no doubt the great increase in the 
herds of Chester Whites and Duroc-Jerseys is due to dissatisfac- 
tion with the Poland-China as a breeder. There is no doubt but 
what the average sow of the breed produces smaller litters than 
any other breed well known in our feed lots. Dr. Bitting has 
shown this to be true in his herdbook record stud}', in which he 
shows that the average size of 1086 Poland-China litters was 7.45 
pigs each, 400 Berkshircs 8.22 pigs, and 600 Chester Whites 
8.96 pigs. In a study made by the writer of the litters of 1300 
Poland-China brood sows, farrowing 9335 pigs, the average size 
of litter was 7.4 pigs, essentially the same result as secured by 
Dr. Bitting. Mr. George M. Rommel, in 1906, published a study 
of Poland-China fecundity, based on herdbook records covering 
the years 1882-1886 and 1898-1902. Over 50,000 litters were 
considered, including 103,458 pigs for 1 882-1886 which averaged 
7.04 pigs per litter, and 299,324 pigs for 1 898-1902 which aver- 
aged 7.52 pigs per litter. These figures seem to show a slight 
gain rather than loss in the prolificacy of this breed. 

The distribution of Poland-China swine is mainly through the 
Mississippi Valley states, notably Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, 
Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. The breed is common also in 
other states. Among pigs of this class, in Canada, heavy fat 
producers are not ]iopular and have but slight hold. The breed 
has been introduced abroad in a small way. In 1877 Mr. D. M. 
Magie sent three head to Joseph Munson, Jr., at Liverpool, Eng- 
land, and in 1898 twelve head were sent to Russia, si.x from the 
Iowa Agricultural College and six from H. G. McMillan of Iowa. 
The breed, however, has never met with much favor outside of 
the United States. This is due to the fact that a leaner type 
of pork is required elsewhere. 

Organizations for the promotion of Poland-China pigs are strong 
and influential. The Oliio Poland-China Record Association was 
organized at Dayton in 1878, although the first volume of the 



THE POLAND-CHINA 



495 



OJiio Poland China Record was published in 1 877 by Carl Friegau 
and M. J. Lawrence. Twenty-six volumes of this record have 
been published as a full set. The American Poland-China Record 
Company was organized in January, 1878, at Cedar Rapids, 
Iowa, publishing the first volume of their herdbook in 1879, 
since which it has published about forty volumes. The Central 
Poland-China Association was organized in February, 1880, at 
Indianapolis, publishing its first volume the same year. The 
Northwestern Poland-China Swine Association was organized 
at Washington, Kansas, in 1881. The Standard Poland-China 
Record Association was organized in 1887 at Marysville, Mis- 
souri, publishing the first volume of its swine record that year, 
having published about twenty volumes since that time. The 
Southwestern Poland-China Record Association was organized 
at Ripley, Tennessee, in 1896. Two small herdbooks have been 
published, including nearly 2000 registrations. Several hundred 
thousand Poland-China hogs have been registered, the American, 
Standard, Central, and Ohio associations each doing a large 
business. Recently an effort has been made to amalgamate all 
the different Poland-China associations into one. This resulted in 
the consolidation in 1905 of the Ohio and Central Poland-China 
associations, under the name of the National Poland-China Record. 
The high prices paid for Poland-China pigs surpass those paid 
for any other breed of swine. Some of the highest reputed prices 
paid occurred in the summer of 1903, when at auction sales held 
in Indiana a number of pigs were sold to companies of buyers on 
a shares basis. For example, two men owned a half interest in a 
boar, which they sold by shares, ten shares being issued. Each 
owner reserved one share and then offered the other eight at 
auction. Thus ten men came into ownership of a boar, eight 
giving security in notes or cash, usually the former. By such 
a plan eight shares of interest in the boar Chief Perfection 2d 
were sold in July, 1903, for $13,850, eight men bidding off the 
shares at sums ranging from $1500 to $2000 each. On the 
basis of purchase the boar was valued at $34,625, an absurd 
proposition on the face of it. Such sales for a season made a 
great furor, but soon became discredited and were discontinued. 
Among noteworthy sales of regular form is that of King Medium 



496 



THK fk; 



on December 23, 1896, which sold for ^1025, the hii^hest auction- 
sale price to that date. Happy Medium 345 1 1 at the Howard & 
McAllister sale in Iowa, in 1897, sold for )^4000 to the Happy 
Medium Stock Company. The same year Look Me Over 194 17, 
another boar, sold for $3600 at the Hart & Minnis sale at 
Edinburg, Illinois, to the Look Me Over Breeding Association 
at Stanberry, Missouri. In February, 1897, at the Johnston sale 
in Iowa, the four-year-old boar Lookout 28901 brought $1600. 
One of the most notable recent sales is that of Meddler 99999, 
sold in 1905 to Edward Ware for $3000. Numerous boars of 
the breed have sold at prices from $500 to $1000 per head. 
Of high-priced sows, Minnie's Model 102806 sold at $1310, 
Hadley's Half Sister 87840 sold at ^650, and Moorish Maid 
8 1624 and Klever's Choice 74256, each sold at $600, are famous 
examples. During the winter of 1896- 1897 such a boom in 
Poland-China prices occurred as to cause a protest from the 
wiser breeders of the country. Men attended auction sales and 
purchased at prices far above the intrinsic value of the animals 
bought. A craze for pedigree seemed to prevail and many ani- 
mals sold at high figures that were unworthy a place in a credit- 
able breeding herd. Better judgment soon prevailed, however, 
and breeders returned once more to a more reasonable basis 
of values. 



CHAPTER LXVIII 
THE CHESTER WHITE 

The original type of Chester White pig first became promi- 
nent in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Long ago there existed 
in both Chester and Delaware counties a large, coarse, white 
pig. It has even been assumed that the original stock of this 
sort came over with the early colonists, possibly at the time of 
William Penn. Captain James Jeffries of Westchester, Pennsyl- 
vania, in a voyage to England early in the last century (1820), 
secured a pair of white pigs, male and female, from Bedford 
County, England. These pigs have been referred to both as 
Bedfordshire and Cumberland breeds, though the former is the 
usually accepted title. The boar, which was retained by Cap- 
tain Jeffries, had been a prize winner in England, and, used on 
the old white type in Pennsylvania, had a distinctly refining 
influence. This Jeffries boar was white, though he had bluish or 
blackish skin spots, and a broad back, excellent hams, short legs, 
and a refined head with droopy ears. Following the Jeffries 
importation, Harvey Atwood of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, 
imported some white Chinese stock from England. This was a 
sway-backed sort, with short legs, short face, droopy ears, and 
having black, blue, and sandy spots in the hair, and possessing 
excellent feeding and maturing qualities. The stock from Jeffries 
and Atwood were blended together along with the common white 
pigs of the region, and from this has come the first strain, if it 
may be so termed, of the Chester White blood. 

The origin of the so-called Improved Chester White goes back to 
England also. This has a special application to what is known as 
Todd's Improved Chester White, and is based on a statement by S. 
H. Todd, and adopted January 16, 1901, by the American Chester 
White Record Association. This is the most detailed informa- 
tion published concerning the ancestry of the improved breed. 

497 



498 THE PIG 

In 1S27 W. K. Tovvnsend of East Haven, Connecticut, 
imported from England some Norfolk Thin Rind pigs. These 
were black dotted with white, or white belted with black, and 
were blocky of type, short-legged, fine of hair, and vigorous. 
Kneeland Todd and his brother Isaac bought a boar of this 
breed, and a white sow of medium size of a breed known locally in 
Connecticut as the Grass breed. No doubt this sow was an Irish 
Grazier. In 1830 the Todd brothers removed from Connecticut 
to Ohio and brought these two pigs with them. These were 
bred together in Ohio with considerable success, producing pigs 



^K^ A. 


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^ 


■V 


HebL^..''1£^ 




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^^^H 




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n^i) 


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Fig. 230. Jackson Chief 4759, grand-champion Chester White boar at the 
Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904. Bred and exhibited by L. L. Frost 
of Missouri. Photograph from the A\itional Stockman ufid Farmer 

that would dress 365 pounds at nine months of age. In 1833 
Joseph Haskins removed from Massachusetts to XWakcman, 
northern Ohio, and took with him a pair of pigs, a boar of the 
Byfield breed, and a sow pig similar to the one brought from 
Connecticut by the Todds. The Todd and Haskins pigs were 
bred back and forth until 1848. That year Isaac Todd bought 
from Joel Meade of Norwalk, Ohio, a large white boar which 
the seller called the Large Grass breed. This was used in his 
herd on account of its good-feeding and early-maturing quality. 
In 1862 Isaac Todd secured a so-called Normandy boar of un- 
known breeding, white in color, said to be of French ancestry. 



THE CHESTER WHITE 



499 



This nicked well with his stock, and he produced superior feeders 
and handsome pigs, with which he attained show-ring success. 
At the second state fair held in Ohio Isaac Todd with this stock 
vanquished all competitors in the show ring. In 1865 Todd first 
introduced Chester White blood in his herd with satisfactory 
results. At this period his son, Seth H. Todd, took up the work. 
More Chester White blood was used, and in 1867 the son bought 
a pair of pure-bred Chester White pigs of George B. Hickman. 
These were used in the herd and the boar proved a most success- 
ful sire. From this period on, for about forty years, Mr. S. H. 




Fig. 231. Purdue Beeler 4755, a Chester White l)oar owned for some time 
by Purdue University, and an excellent show boar and sire. Photograph 
by the author 

Todd bred and improved the Chester White and played a leading 
part in its development. The claim has been made that Poland- 
China blood has been used in the improvement of this breed, but 
this Mr. Todd says "is entirely false" in its application to his 
own breeding. He rather attributes it to a reversion to the black 
color found in the Thin Rind or Bedford hog. Besides S. H. 
Todd, Thomas Wood of Chester County, Pennsylvania, has been 
an important improver of the breed. 

The origin of the Ohio Improved Chester White is credited to 
Mr. L. B. Silver. This person lived at Salem, Ohio, and became 
interested in improved breeds. In 1865 he made a trip through 



500 



THE PIG 



the eastern states to study the pure breeds of swine. The Chester 
White impressed him most, so that he purchased a specimen and 
began breeding. Mr. Silver endeavored to estabhsh a uniform 
type of large size, with superior quality, such as most nearly 
approached his ideal. From his breeding is descended what is 
known as the Ohio Improved Chester White (O. I. C.) strain, and 
all animals known now as O. I. C. W. must trace back to his 
herd to be eligible for registration in the herdbook promoting 
this family. 

Characteristics of the Chester White As its name implies, this 
breed is pure white in color of hair, although small black or 
bluish-black spots occur on the skin to a more or less extent. 
Such spots do not disqualify, but are not desirable in fixing breed 
character. The head has a straight face, the nose often tends to 
be long and naifrow, and the ears are drooped forward, breaking 
over one t jiird /ycb one half the length. Thick, heavy ears are 
[iP^The body carries a back line of good width 
tp:be spniewhat arched, though not undesirably 
_i J?r. bdd^tit-is usually excellent and the shoulders 
5^1 slrbng, but the hams may be improved in the 
TheV'l{*^;jnay be short, but they are rarely sup- 
on_:the toes' Witli strength, the Chester White being char- 
"'cally vvea|(Vbf pastern, the toes being too much spread 
nd theme wclaiiyi 



ow down. This weakness is due 
■) rapid-fattening quality of the 
^<it for the feet to properly sus- 
^/j^one in the make-up of the 
k\1ys. about medium, w'ith a 
?:;^i^y' hqlr js not uncommon. The 
bi'cgjjjslioxif^.a finer hair than did the 
older typC'sA'tenclfijcyr^ffifl^elij^tt^l^JJtiii well as other white 
breeds i^t() .su'nfSCabd'raudlsciirfi^sg^.Vfdskin, especially in the 
West, AyhQn exposed tfo a'hotTgtm^nJj^di^i.weather. In tempera- 
ment th<r^est*er.Whifq-is excellent,- toaiQ^ quiet and well suited 
to feeding. ' ^ / ^ .; z'^'f^ 

The size of.Itbe' Chester White pJseesttiilg :breed in a high rank. 
Formerly it was th'e.J[argest:,Ur£e(:5 ii):^*e-q(5Uiftry, and specimens 
were exhibited weighing "over looO rpoUnds, The tendency of 




not u 
with r 
so. -^ 
showii 

lo 
P 

a' 
ai 
ij^(«'awllst!*^-tt) 

^j^^ih. Thfs calk 

^'Z' Chester .Whii^ 
tendenc)^ t^\ 
modern spei^i'tji^o 




THE chesti:r white 



501 



modern breeding has been toward refinement and smaller size, 
so that the Chester White does not naturally develop excessive 
size. Mature boars in fair flesh should weigh about 600 pounds 
and sows 450, while barrows at six to eight months should feed 
to weigh 350 pounds. 

The Chester White as a feeder ranks high. The barrow of this 
breed will compare favorably with any breed in returning results 
for grain fed. The writer has supervised the feeding of many 
Chester Whites at the Indiana Experiment Station, when very 
rapid and profitable fattening resulted, average gains of one pound 




Fig. 232. A Chester White sow owned by "VV. A. Iluber of Iowa. 
Photograph from the A\itioiial Stoikfh<in and Farmer 

live weight from less than three pounds of grain having been 
made daily in feeding experiments of several months' duration. 
In breed tests with pure-breds at various stations the Chester 
White has made a good record. At the Vermont station in a 
172 days' test Chester Whites made an average daily gain of 1.36 
pounds, dressing out 84.5 per cent carcass. At the Maine station 
a daily average of 1.15 pounds was secured for 140 days, and of 
1.05 pounds for 117 days at the Ontario Agricultural College, 
dressing out jy. 10 per cent carcass. In other experiments at the 
Ontario Agricultural College Professor Day reports that it 
required 3.37 pounds food for a pound of gain with Chester 



502 



THK PIG 



Whites, compared with 3.18 for the Berkshire, that breed doing 
best in this respect. 

The breeding qualities of the Chester White rank high, and it 
may be regarded as one of the most proHfic of the heavier-fieshed 
type of pigs. The general evidence shows the Chester White sow 
to produce larger than average litters. In 1897 Dr. A. W. Bitting 
made a careful study of the size of litters of the Chester White, 
Berkshire, and Poland-China, as based on herdbook records. A 
total of 2083 Htters were studied, showing 8.96 pigs per litter 
for the Chester White, 8.22 for the Berkshire, and 7.45 for the 




Fig. 233. Baiget C. 12954, first-prize Chester White sow at the Ohio State 
Fair, 1905, and a winner at various other fairs. Owned and e.xhibited by 
W. J. Cherry, Xenia, Ohio. Photograph by the author 

Poland-China. Of these the Chester White raised to weaning 
7.62, the Berkshire 7.17, and the Poland-China 6.14 of a total of 
1600 litters raised. This is a distinct showing in behalf of the 
Chester White. The sows as a rule have excellent udders and 
make very satisfactory mothers, equally good with any other 
breed of this class. 

The cross-bred or grade Chester White makes a superior feeder, 
and sows from pure-bred sires are prolific above the average. 
The Chester White and Poland-China cross to make better 
butchers' hogs than either of the pure-breds, feeding faster and 
having more scale than the Poland-China. High-grade Chester 
Whites are very prolific, and the fat pigs are appreciated by 



THE CHESTER WHUK 



503 



l)uycrs. The pure-bred used on the smaller class gives more 
scale to the progeny. To have the most satisfactory specimens 
the Chester White should be crossed on pigs possessing superior 
bone and feet. A writer in the National Stockman and Fanner, 
in 1898, reports on a three-quarters bred Chester White sow, five 
years old, that raised 78 pigs in this time, or nearly 20 pigs a 
year for four years. 

The quality of Chester White pork may be regarded as good. 
The breed, however, carries much fat and will not produce a 
high-class bacon, as based on the English market ; neither under 
ordinary conditions will the meat be quite the equal in percentage 
of fat to lean, as will the Berkshire. 

The Chester White as a grazing pig will do well on pasture, 
making a good showing on alfalfa, the clovers, or rape, comparing 
favorablv with the other breeds. 

The distribution of the Chester White is very widespread, the 
breed being common in the eastern United States and in Ohio, 
Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, and some other states. During 
the past ten years the breed has grown much in favor, as is 
evidenced by the large increase in Chester Whites at the fairs. 
The breed also has something of a foothold in Canada, especially 
in Ontario. It seems well adapted to the corn-belt states, while 
it has long been a favorite in Pennsylvania and the East, where 
it is kept under more restricted conditions of confinement. They 
have also been distributed some in the South, where they are 
reported as well adapted to the environment, notably in W'est 
Virginia, South Carolina, and Mississippi. 

Organizations to promote Chester Whites. There are four asso- 
ciations for registering and promoting Chester White interests. 
These are as follows : The American Chester White Record is 
an outgrowth from the Chester W^hite Record Association, 
organized in 1885 "for the purpose of making and maintaining 
a registry of the Todd Improved Chester White Swine," with 
headquarters at Columbus, Ohio. Four volumes of Todd's 
Improved Chester White Swine Record were published, the first 
appearing in 1885. In 1894 the articles of incorporation were 
changed to read American Chester White Record Association, 
and Volume V was designated American Chester White Record. 



504 



THE PIG 



Up to 1905 ten records had been published, registering about 
10,000 animals. The Ohio Improved Chester White Swine 
Breeders' Association was organized in 1897 at Cleveland, Ohio. 
Six records have thus far been published. The Standard Chester 
White Record Association was organized in 1894 at Indianapolis, 
Indiana. Volume I appeared in 1895, and thus far ten volumes 
have been published up to 1906. The National Chester White 
Record Association was organized years ago and long led an 
inactive existence. The headquarters for this organization have 
been in Pennsylvania. 

The prices paid for Chester Whites have not been affected by 
inflation conditions, as has occurred with other breeds. While 
the Chester White is an old breed and is well known over a 
large portion of the country, it has played a modest part during 
the more recent years when boom prices might have been antic- 
ipated. Breeders have mainly depended upon private sales, and 
very high-class animals have been purchasable at from $50 to 
$100 per head. In 1893 Mr. S. H. Todd sold the boar pig 
Banker 2293, that was first in class at the World's Columbian 
Exposition at Chicago, for ;^i 50. This, according to Mr. Todd, is 
the highest price paid for a Chester White up to that time, and 
so far as the writer can learn it has not been equaled since. 



CHAPTER LXIX 

THE DUROC-JERSEY 

The occurrence of red or sandy-colored pigs in America dates 
back many years. When pigs of this color were first imported is 
not recorded. A number of so-called breeds of red pigs were 
kept early in the last century, and from these it has been assumed 
the present-day red American pig, the Uuroc-Jersey, is descended. 

The Guinea breed of pigs is frequently referred to in agricultural 
writings of a half century or more ago. In that section of west- 
ern Africa known as Guinea, slave-trading ships secured cargoes 
for American ports. Here existed a red or sandy breed of swine, 
which no doubt found its way to our shores. Youatt states that 
these pigs were " large in size, square in form, of a reddish color, 
the body covered with short, bristly hair, and smoother and more 
shiny than almost any other variety of the porcine race." W. H. 
Montgomery in 1852 wrote that the Red Guinea hog was 
imported into his county in Iowa in 1849 from Steuben County, 
New York. A correspondent of the American Farmer states 
that the African or Guinea breed was brought to America as 
early as 1804 or possibly earlier. 

The Portuguese breed of pigs was imported from Portugal by 
Daniel Webster, about 1852, for his farm in Massachusetts. They 
arrived at New York about the time of Webster's death, and his 
heirs disposed of them to S. W. Jewett of Middlebury, Vermont, 
and A. E. Beach of New York. They were dark red in color, 
and in form resembled the Chinese pig. Red pigs from the 
Webster importation and ancestry were distributed over several 
states east and south. 

Spanish red pigs were imported by Henry Clay in 1837, four 
in number, and taken to his farm, Ashland, at Lexington, Ken- 
tucky, where they bred and successfully increased. This stock 
met with favor and was considerably distributed south, notably 

505 



5o6 THE PIG 

in Kentucky and Virginia. These had erect ears and were of a 
red color. 

The Berkshire as a source of red swine early occupied a place 
of prominence. Half a century ago Berkshires were more or less 
red in color, and the breed had been imported for many years 
even then. Eminent authorities think that much of the Duroc- 
Jersey pig is descended from the sandy-colored Berkshire. 

The Jersey Red breed of pigs was for many years a favorite 
one in New Jersey and the East. They were very large and 
coarse, weights of 500 to 600 pounds being common, with speci- 
mens exceeding 1000 pounds. In reporting on this breed to the 
National Swine Breeders' Convention in 1872, Colonel E. D. 
Curtis stated that D. M. Brown of Windsor, New Jersey, had 
known of them back to nearly 1832. In neighborhoods they 
were bred very uniformly, the color usually being a dark red, 
although in some sections they were light, sandy, and often 
"patched with white." 

The characteristics of the Jersey Red as agreed upon by the 
National Swine Breeders' Convention in 1872 were as follows: 

A good specimen of a Jersey Red should be red in color, with a snout of 
moderate length, large lop ears, small head in proportion to size and length 
of body. They should be long in the body, standing high and rangy on their 
legs ; bone coarse, hairy tail and brush, and hair coarse, inclining to bristles 
on the back. They are valuable on account of their size and strong con- 
stitution and capacity for growth. They are not subject to mange. 

About 1870 Joseph B. Lyman, then agricultural editor of the 
New York Tribntie, it is said first named the breed Jersey Reds. 
Previous to this period they had been commonly called Red 
hogs and Durocs. In recent years this breed as described has 
become insignificant and has relapsed into obscurity. 

The Duroc breed of red pigs is said to have been established 
by Isaac Frink of Milton, Saratoga County, New York. In 1823 
he obtained a red boar pig from a litter of ten, the product of a 
pair of red pigs purchased in 1822 by Harry Kelscy of Elorida, 
New York, from persons either at Oyster Bay, Queens County, 
New York, or imported from England, concerning which point 
there is doubt. Mr. Kelsey owned the famous stallion Duroc, 
and the pigs in question were known simply as red pigs. 



THE DUROC-JERSEY 



507 



Mr. Frink called his boar and descendants Durocs, in honor of 
the horse. This boar was crossed on common sows, and many 
of the offspring resembled him, being long and deep of body, 
lop-eared, heavy of shoulder and ham, quiet of disposition, and 
making rapid growth. The Durocs were finer in bone and carcass 
than the Jersey Reds. In 1830 William Ensign of Stillwater, 
Saratoga County, secured a pair of red pigs from Connecticut, 
where they were known as Red Berkshires, getting more the 
next year, and breeding and distributing them considerably. 
The Frink and Ensign families of Durocs became very popular. 




l-'lG. .2j4. Ohio Cliicl S7J7, tiist-prize aged Duruc Jersey Ijoai at the Lmiisi- 
ana Purchase Exposition, 1904. Bred and exhibited by S. E. Morton & 
Co., Camden, Ohio. Photograph from Professor WilHam Dietrich 

The origin of the Duroc- Jersey pig is the result of the amalga- 
mation of the blood of these red breeds or families above referred 
to. Colonel F. D. Curtis of Saratoga County, New York, long 
a breeder and familiar with existing conditions, did much to 
promote improvement of this breed during the stage of amalga- 
mation. Mr. William H. Holmes also was a leading breeder and 
improver in Colonel Curtis's time. The Durocs of New York, the 
Red Berkshires of Connecticut, and the Red Rocks of Vermont, 
as they were called, were of the same general type. Some 
system in breeding was attempted, and in 1877 the breeders of 
Washington and Saratoga counties in New York met and decided 



5o8 



THE PIG 



what the characteristics of the best type of this red pig should 
be. This standard, which was published in the agricultural press, 
was the first thing of the kind printed regarding red pigs, and 
was essentially the one adopted by the National Swine Breeders' 
Convention in 1872. In 1885 Colonel Curtis wrote that the 
breeders of the so-called Red Berkshire and Red Rocks cordially 
united with the New York men, and the Duroc-Jersey standard 
was universally accepted by the best breeders of all the red hogs 
of America. 

The improvement of the Duroc-Jersey began with the union 
of the breeders' interests. It resulted in a pig of some less scale 
than the Jersey Red, lacking its coarseness, having a better quality 
of flesh, feeding easier, and maturing more readily at a younger 
age. Instead of developing a big hog, one of medium scale was 
regarded as preferable. The standard of the old type of Berkshire 
closely resembled the Duroc-Jersey of twenty years ago. Since 
then the Berkshire has perhaps become more refined than before, 
and the Duroc-Jersey has kept pace with Berkshire evolution. 

Men prominent in improving and advertising the Duroc-Jersey 
are of rather recent years. There were numerous excellent 
breeders in New York, Connecticut, and Vermont, who sought to 
improve the breed. Mr. William M. Holmes of Greenwich, Wash- 
ington County, New York, was long an industrious student of the 
breed, but Colonel F. D. Curtis of Charlton, Saratoga County, 
was not only a prominent breeder of Duroc-Jerseys but he was 
also a natural organizer and leader and actively promoted the 
breed for many years. Besides Holmes and Curtis, S. E. Morton 
of Ohio, George W. Stoner, Thomas Bennett, and J. M. Stone- 
braker of Illinois, William Roberts of Iowa, and C. H. Searle of 
Nebraska did much for the breed from about the year 1880. 

Duroc-Jersey pigs of distinction first became prominent with 
the appearance of the breed at the important exhibitions, notably 
in the early eighties. Among the prominent show and breeding 
boars between 1880 and 1885 were Major 17, Climax 21, Phil D 
167, Richard III 181, John Jordan 297, and King Stoner 1651. 
Of the sows of that ]-)cri()d the following may be mentioned : 
Holmes' Ruby 70, Lulu ']6, Bess HI 82, Mona II 90, Mojeska 
96, Bessie 100, Vallcria 200, Lou Edna 226, and Red Stumpy 



THE DUROC-JERSEY 509 

926. In more recent years Hoosier King 3205, Col. M. 3285, 
Storm King 3377, Walt's Col. 5795, Ohio Chief 8727, and Top 
Notcher 8S03, have attained distinction as boars of great merit. 

Characteristics of the Duroc- Jersey pig. The head is usually 
regarded as small in proportion to the size, the face is either 
straight or very slightly dished, and the nose of medium length, 
being neither short nor long. The ears are of medium size and 
droop forward, the top third more or less breaking over. The 
back inclines to considerable width in contrast to length, show- 
ing a wide spring of rib with a slight tendency to arch, though 




Fig. 235. Cedar Vale Queen yth, the champion Duroc-Jersey sow at the 
Indiana State Fair, 1905. Bred and exhibited by Watt & Foust, Cedar- 
ville, Ohio. Photograph by the author 

not to SO gi"eat a degree as with the Poland-China. The body 
often shows unusual depth. The shoulders and Jiavis are rather 
heavy and thick fleshed, the latter especially so, and low in the 
twist. The legs in the modern Duroc-Jersey are short and the 
bone good, yet a tendency to too much refinement is manifest. 
\\(idi]>. pasterns are becoming too common with this breed, not- 
withstanding the inheritance of strong legs from the old Jersey 
Red. The body as a whole, back of the ears, to-day resembles 
the Poland-China more than the Berkshire. The color of the 
Duroc-Jersey is red, although the shades vary from light to 
dark. Young pigs are usually a bright red, and with age the 



510 



TMI': VIG 



tint changes. Some pigs are a cherry red, a popular color, while 
others are yellowish red or a shade of chestnut. A very dark 
red or shady brown, very light or pale red, and black spots on 
the body skin, are objected to by breeders. Black spots on the 
belly and legs are not desired but are admissible. 

The size of the Duroc-Jersey is somewhat variable, due no 
doubt to the commingling of the blood of the large Jersey Red 
and the smaller, more refined red breeds. For animals in fair 
show condition the American Duroc-Jersey Swine Breeders' 
Association offers the following weights in its ])ublishcd stand- 
ard : Boars two years old and over should weigh 600 pounds ; 
sows of same age and condition, 500 pounds; boars 12 months, 
350 pounds; sows, 300 pounds; boars and sow^s si.\ months of 
age, 150 pounds. Many large animals of the breed are found 
to-day. Mr. S. E. Morton, owner of the boar Ohio Chief 8727, 
states that, properly fitted, he could easily be made to weigh over 
1000 pounds. No doubt the breed averages somewhat smaller 
than it did a quarter of a century ago, due in part to the general 
market demand for a smaller class of hogs. 

The environment best suited to the Duroc-Jersey is on the 
farms of the middle West, within the corn belt, where clover 
pasture is also a feature of swine husbandry. Here the breed is 
found to-day in its most perfect form. In the warm climate of 
the South, however, the Duroc-Jersey has met with great favor, 
not seeming to be unfavorably affected by the dry, warm summers, 
especially as regards skin troubles. In Canada the breed has but 
a small foothold, due to the demand for the bacon type of pig. 

The maturing qualities of the Duroc-Jersey are distinctly high 
class. Pigs easily mature at six months of age to dress out 175 
pounds. At the Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station nineteen 
pigs at an average of 214 days weighed an ax'cragc of 197 
pounds each. These are not unusual records and are such as 
may be secured by any competent feeder with fair representa- 
tives of the breed. From the breeders' standpoint the Duroc- 
Jersey presents no essential advantage over other popular breeds 
in regard to the sows or boars reaching carlv breeding form. 

The Duroc-Jersey as a feeder may naturally be clas.sed with 
the Poland-China, Berkshire, and Chester White. In the 



THE DUROC-JERSEY 511 

Mississippi Valley states it has been well received by the feeders, 
especially in recent years ; yet when it comes to cost of pro- 
duction in gain, published breed tests of experiment stations 
make the Duroc-Jersey a comparatively costly feeder. Rommel 
(|uotes the results of eleven different feeding tests at various 
experiment stations, in which it is shown that it required 418 
pounds of feed for 1 00 pounds of gain live weight by the Duroc- 
Jersey, 49 more than were required by the Berkshire, 61 more 
than the Poland-China, and 71 more than the Chester White. 
At the Iowa Experiment Station, however, the cost for 100 




Fig. 236. Col. Gladness 13577, first-prize Duroc-Jersey boar at Ohio State 
Fair, 1906. The owner refused $500 for this pig at the time of the show. 
Owned and exhibited by A. E. Foster, New Salem, Ohio. Photograph 
by the author 

pounds of gain with Duroc-Jerseys was $2.27, compared with 
$2.33 for the Berkshire and $2.46 for the Chester White. In 
several years of testing at the Ontario Agricultural College the 
Duroc-Jersey more than held its own with the Poland-China. 

The Duroc-Jersey as a grazer seems suited to such pasture as 
other breeds will do well on, and for this reason is a favorite to-day 
with many farmers. On both blue grass and clover it thrives well. 

The slaughter test of Duroc-Jersey pigs is essentially typical 
of that of the corn-fed hog of the Mississippi Valley. In feeding 



512 



THE ITC; 



trials of breeds of swine at the Iowa station, where the carcasses 
of each breed were carefully studied, the Duroc-Jerscy yielded 
less lard than any other breed except the Chester White. There 
was a total of 20.35 pounds lard and more total guts than any 
other breed excepting Berkshire, though the difference was not 
great. In killing, the Yorkshires led with 79.18 per cent dressed 
meat and the Duroc-Jerseys fifth with 77.05 per cent. 

The quality of Duroc-Jersey meat may at least be regarded as 
good, compared with Poland-China or Chester White, when the 
same kind of food is used. Duroc-Jersey pigs are not discrimi- 
nated against in the market, although the class of pork produced 
by them in the corn belt is not the equal of that resulting from less 
corn feeding. For many years the red hogs of Saratoga County, 
New York, commanded a premium in the Albany market, then 
a great pork-packing center. This was due to the superior 
excellence of Duroc meat, produced from rations of potatoes, 
oats, and peas and clover pasture. 

The cross-bred or grade Duroc-Jersey pig is finding its way 
extensively into the market. Among farmers pigs from common 
sows sired by Duroc-Jersey boars feed well. They not only 
feed well, but if mated with Poland-China blood, produce 
increased size of litters as a result. The cross on Poland-China 
or Berkshire stock will be harmonious, if such a cross is desired. 
It is better, however, to use the Berkshire male on the Duroc- 
Jersey female, to secure the highest-class meat. 

The breeding characteristics of the Duroc-Jersey are considered 
distinctly superior. Twenty years ago Colonel Curtis wrote that 
young sows had from seven to ten pigs and old sows from ten 
to eighteen, while twelve and fourteen strong pigs at one litter 
were not at all uncommon. Rommel, in a report on Duroc-Jersey 
fecundity, published in 1906, based on herdbook figures, shows 
that 21,652 litters, comprising 200,574 pigs, averaged 9.26 pigs 
l)cr litter. This is a most excellent record and reflects great 
credit on the prolificacy of this breed. 

The distribution of the Duroc-Jersey is now \ery widespread. 
It has long been a popular breed in New York, New Jersey, 
Virginia, and certain sections of the South. In recent years it 
has grown much in favor in the Mississippi Valley, although bred 



THE DUROC-JERSEY 



513 



here for a long time in a limited way. At present the breed is in 
much favor in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and Michi- 
gan. Each year an increase of interest is shown in the auction 
sales of the pure-breds and in the exhibits made at the fairs. 

Organizations to promote Duroc-Jersey pigs date back to 1883, 
when the American Duroc-Jersey Swine Breeders' Association 
was established, the first annual meeting being held at Chicago, 
November 15-16, 1883, at which time Colonel F. D. Curtis of 
New York was elected president and C. H. Holmes of Iowa 
secretary. In 1885 this association published its first herd 




Fig. 237. A yearling Duroc-Jersey boar owned by E. S. Kelly of Ohio. 
Photograph by the author 

record, since which time to 1904 fifteen volumes had been 
issued, including the registration of about 6500 boars and 15,000 
sows. On November 20, 1891, the National Duroc-Jersey 
Record Association was organized at Geneseo, Illinois, with 
J. M. Stonebraker of Illinois as president and G. W. Philippo 
of Illinois as secretary -treasurer. This association published Vol- 
ume I of its herd record in 1893, since which time a total of 
19 volumes have been issued to 1906, including the registration 
of many thousands of boars and sows. A capital A after the 
registration number of a Duroc-Jersey pig indicates its registration 
in the American Association, and an A^in the National Associa- 
tion. Each of these organizations has been very prosperous. 



CHAPTER LXX 

THE CHESHIRE 

The native home of the Cheshire pig is Jefferson County, New 
York, in the north-central part of the state, on the eastern shore 
of Lake Ontario. The chmate is quite cold and rough in winter, 
and the conditions as a whole are not ideal for swine raising. 

The origin of the Cheshire dates back to about 1855. The 
cause for the use of the name of the breed is unknown. About 
1855 Messrs. Hungerford and Brodie of Jefferson County 
imported from England a Yorkshire boar of the large or middle 
class. This was used upon sows in the county, and soon after 
White Suffolk blood was mingled with the descendants of this 
boar. Early in the si.\ties A. C. Clark of Belleville and S. P. 
Huff slater of Watertown began to show pigs of this class at 
the fairs. Later, in 1870, Mr. Clark won the Packer's Prize of 
$500 for the best pen of pigs exhibited at a fair at St. Louis, 
Missouri. The name Cheshire, or Jefferson County, was officially 
adopted in 1872 by the Swine Breeders' Convention at Indian- 
apolis, Indiana. The evidence indicates that the breed is the 
result of constant crossing and breeding of Large Yorkshires and 
White Suffolks to the white pigs in Jefferson County. In 1876 
Colonel F. D. Curtis, a prominent New York live-stock authority, 
wrote Mr. F. D. Coburn that he knew "of but one breeder of 
these pigs in Jefferson County." Mr. J. H. Sanders bred these 
pigs pure for about seven years in Iowa, and wrote Mr. Coburn 
as follows : 

I produced all the different types of the Yorkshire from tlie Large York- 
down to the Lancashire Short-face. . . . The type which I finally succeeded 
in fixing upon the Cheshire.s, as bred by me, was almost identical in size, 
form, and quality with the most approved Berkshires. Indeed, so marked 
was this resemblance in everything but color that they were often face- 
tiously called " White Berkshires." 

514 



THE CHESHIRE 



515 



About 1873 E. W. Davis began to imiM-ove this pig and added 
nuic'h to the permanence of tyjie. 

Characteristics of the Cheshire. This breed closely resembles 
in form the Yorkshire of the middle class. The face while 
dished is not extremely so, and the ears, which are small and fine 
stand erect or point slightly forward. The back is wide and very 
slightly arched, the Cheshire scale of points requiring it to be 
"long, broad, and straight nearly to root of tail." The body as 
a whole has considerable length but often lacks depth. The 




Fig. 238. A Cheshire barrow, one of a pen exhibited by Cornell University 
at the International Live Stock Exposition, 1905. Weight at eight and 
one-half months 353 pounds. Bred by E. S. Hill, Freeville, New York. 
Photograph from Mr. Hill 

shoulders and hams are regarded as of the thick-fleshed, well- 
develcjped sort. The kgs show considerable refinement of bone, 
frequently to an undesirable extent. The /:t/ and pasterns are 
only moderately strong. The color of the hair and skin is white. 
Black spots may occur on the skin of pin-e-breds, and while objec- 
ti(jnable do not disqualify. Both skin and hair are regarded as of 
superior quality bv those who arc familiar with the breed. 

The size of the Cheshire pig is about medium, though it has been 
classed by Professor Shaw as the smallest of the middle-sized 



5i6 THE PIG 

breeds. This is hardly in accordance with the standards of 
the Cheshire Swine Association. The standard of excellence in 
Volume I of the herdbook states that when grown and well 
fattened the hogs should show a dressed weight of from 400 to 
600 pounds. That represents a heavy-weight hog. There are 
said to be numerous instances on record of pigs dressing over 
400 pounds when nine months old. The Cheshire barrows 
shown at the International Live Stock Exposition in 1905 were 
a heavy-weight lot and gave no impression of being of a small 
breed. One of these at eight and one-half months weighed 353 
pounds. The Cheshire is said to weigh heavy for its size. 
Mr. A. H. Bates, once a prominent breeder of swine, has the 
following to say in a letter which is quoted from the Cheshire 
Ilcrdbook : 

I find that buyers are not able to guess the weights of Cheshires. One lot 
of thirteen culls I offered at 325 lbs. each. The buyers thought they would 
not weigh over 300 lbs. They averaged 390 each. Another lot of twenty 
culls I offered at 150 lbs. average. They weighed 185^ lbs. on the average. 
1 have found it will not do to sell Cheshires by guess. 

The quality of Cheshire meat ranks high. Sanders, writing of 
those he bred, stated that " their meat was most excellent, tender, 
and juicy." Others have rendered similar testimony. The flesh 
is fine grained, and, with hogs not fed too much corn, is of a 
desirable bacon type. 

Cross-bred or grade Cheshires are not common, but are looked 
upon with favor in some localities. Where superior and prepotent 
boars are kept they may be used on common sows to material 
advantage, securing a high class of pork. 

The Cheshire as a feeder is not well known. But few have 
been tried in the great swine-producing sections of the coun- 
try. Only experiment stations in the eastern states have fed 
Cheshires experimentally. The Maine station reports in 1890 a 
comparison of breeds of swine, Cheshires gaining daily 1.23 
pounds, Yorkshires 1.14, Chester Whites 1.08, Poland-Chinas 
i.oi, and Berkshires i.oo. Two pigs of each breed were used, 
one of each sex, and they were fed from five to eight weeks. 
The Berkshires ate the least food to make a pound of gain, and 
the Che-shires the most. Experiments in 1891 at the Maine 



THE CHESHIRE 



517 



station also showed more food required for the growth of the 
Cheshire than for that of other breeds. 

The fecundity of the Cheshire is above medium, the sows breed- 
ing readily and producing fairly large litters, especially as com- 
monly fed in the eastern states. 

The Cheshire as a grazer is not well known, for it has been in 
the main a stye-fed breed. It should, however, do well on good 
pastures. Shaw credits the breed with fair grazing qualities. The 
fact that the Cheshire has never secured much of a hold in the 
great swine-producing sections of our country, although intro- 
duced there, would argue that it had not satisfactorily adapted 
itself to western conditions. 

The Cheshire Swine Breeders' Association, organized in 1884 in 
New York State, promotes the purity and welfare of this breed. 
The association published its first volume of a herd record in 
1889, since which three others have been issued up to and 
including 1906. 

The distribution of the Cheshire pig is mainly in the eastern 
United States, with New York the leading state interested in the 
breed. Herds are also owned in the New England states, Penn- 
sylvania. Ohio, and elsewhere, though in but a slight degree. 

The popularity of the Cheshire is distinctly local, it being one 
of the least-known breeds in America, being rarely seen on the 
market or at agricultural fairs west of New York. The late 
S. M. Shepard, a well-known western judge and authority on 
swine, states that following the exhibit of Clark at St. Louis in 
1870 the breed did not gain much in favor beyond the state of 
its origin. 



CHAPTER LXXI 

THE VICTORIA 

The origin of the Victoria breed of pigs is accredited to two 
sources, which are as follows : 

I. The Davis Victoria pig. George F. Davis of Dyer, Lake 
County, Indiana, combined the blood of the Poland-China, Berk- 
shire, Chester White, and Suffolk, crossing these and then prac- 
ticing careful selection to secure a definite type. This work 




P"iG. 239. A Victoria sow, first in class at the Ohio State Fair, 1905. 15red 
and exhibited by George Ineichen of Indiana. Photograph by the author 

began about 1870. The descendants of this breeding represent 
the present-day Victorias in this country. 

2. TJic Curtis Victoria pig ong'm:ited with Colonel F. D. Curtis 
of Kirby Homestead, Saratoga County, New York, about 1850. 
The native hog containing a strain of the Irish Grazier and the 
Byfield breed were first used, and their descendants were crossed 
on the Yorkshire. What was termed Suffolk blood was also used, 
but this was probably the Yorkshire or a close relative. Careful 

5'8 



THE VICTORIA 



519 



selection by Colonel Curtis, who was a prominent stockman in 
his day, resulted in the development of a white breed much after 
the Middle Yorkshire type, with slightly dished face and erect 
ear. The Swine Breeders' Convention at Indianapolis in 1872 
approved of a committee report commending the Victoria. In this 
it was stated that pigs of this breed if pure should have a direct 
descent from a sow named Queen Victoria, which may be regarded 
as the mother of the family and from which the breed probably 
takes its name. So far as the writer is aware the Victoria stock 
of Curtis ancestry is now no longer in pure-bred existence. 

Characteristics of the Victoria pig. The head is moderately 
broad, the face has a medium dish, the ear is of small to medium 




Fu;. 24 ■ A 'J I ' iMp I il j)i i/i- wiiiniiii; \ ii tdi ui^, 1 u ril .iiul t.-xln 1 m n i i i\ ( .ci iige 
F. Davis & Son, Dyer, Indiana. Thotograph from the Actional Stock- 
matt ami Farmer 

size and is carried very erect. The body is broad and deep, the 
back level, and the tail set on at a line nearly with the level ©f 
back. The sJiotddcrs and Jiams carry a considerable thickness 
and fullness, and the length and depth of side meat is very good. 
The length of leg is only moderate, and the quality of bone and 
hair is fair. In general conformation one is reminded of the 
Middle White of England. 

The size of the Victoria places it in the medium group with 
the Poland-China and Berkshire. At maturity the sows should 
weigh 450 pounds and the boars 600. The average weights for 
Victorias shown at the American Fat Stock shows at Chicago 
from 1878 to 1 88 1 inclusive were 460^ pounds for sows one year 
and under two, 331 pounds for sows under one year, and 326 
pounds for barrows between six months and one year old. 



520 



THE PIG 



The adaptability of the Victoria is to the middle West where 
good pasture is provided and plenty of grain always available for 
finishing. 

The Victoria as a feeder has not been extensively tried. Mr. 
Davis, the originator, fed and showed these pigs with much suc- 
cess for many years, beginning with local fairs in Indiana and 
Illinois in 1878. From observations by the writer, however, no 
special advantage seems to exist in the pigs of this breed as 
feeders. In fact it may be questioned if the Victoria will feed 
equal to the standard, popular breeds of the present day. 

The quality of Victoria pork will rank well among other breeds. 
At the American Fat Stock Show at Chicago the breed has 
killed out well in the carcass tests. In 1882 at this show the 
prizes for the best carcasses of swine were awarded on Victorias 
exhibited by Scheldt & Davis of Indiana. 

The cross-bred or grade Victoria pig is not well tried in the 
American feed yard and its value is not commonly known. The 
breed is not yet well suited to crossing with pure-breds. owing 
to its own comparatively recent origin, but the grade should sell 
satisfactorily on the market. 

The breeding qualities of the Victoria are very good and they 
produce fair-sized litters, in fact the claim is made that large 
litters are common. 

A special argument in behalf of the Victoria has been that as 
a white breed it is not so suscciHible to skin disease, such as sun- 
burn, mange, itch, etc., as are other white breeds, especially in the 
vSouth and Southwest. 

The promotion of the Victoria pig is championed by the Vic- 
toria Swine Breeders' Association, organized in Indiana in 1886. 
In 1887 the first volume of the Victoria Szvinc Record was 
issued, containing 103 registrations. 

The distribution of the Victoria pig is mainly in Indiana, Ohio, 
and Illinois, though herds also exist in various other Mississippi 
Valley states in a small way. The breed is not growing rapidly 
in public favor and is shown but little at live-stock shows and 
agricultural fairs. 



CHAPTER LXXII 



THE ESSEX 



The native home of the Essex pig is in the county of Essex 
in eastern England, lying just northeast of London. The land 
is level or rolling and the climate temperate and moist. 

The early native type of Essex pig is said to have been of 
mixed color, black and white, with white shoulders, nose, and 
legs. It was roach-backed, flat-ribbed, had long legs, a sharp 
head, was coarse in bone, 
was a large feeder, and 
had a nervous disposition. 

The improvement of the 
Essex pig was first secured 
by Lord Western, form- 
erly an Essex squire, who, 
when in Italy in 1830, 
purchased a pair of black 
Neapolitans, male and 
female, and brought them 
to ICn gland. The Nea- 
politan was then crossed 
upon some well-selected pi^s such as were common in Essex, 
with most satisfactory results. It is also thought that Black 
Suffolk and Berkshire blood was used. The white coloring was 
entirely removed and a black Essex-Neapolitan pig of improved 
form resulted, with shorter head and legs, more quality, and 
fattening much more readily. These improved pigs were very 
popular for a time. They were inbred, however, at least in Lord 
Western's hands, and became of enfeebled constitution, lacking 
in fecundity and in size. 

The establishment of the Improved Essex breed was accom- 
plished by Mr. Fisher Hobbes of Boxtcd Lodge, a tenant of 

521 




Fig. 241. An Essex boar owned by Joseph 
Featherstone & Son of Ontario. Photograph 
from Professor G. E. Day 



522 THE ITG 

Lord Western. Even prior to 1840 he began to use Essex- 
Neapolitan boars on hardy, high-class Essex sows. By careful 
selection and mating he developed what became famous as the 
Improved Essex breed. Lord Western died in 1844, and on his 
death Hobbes purchased his best breeding sows. This improved 
form had more size and constitution than the original Essex- 
Neapolitan, and for more than twenty years this was maintained 
by selection from three distinct families. In 1840 Mr. Hobbes 
received first prizes on a boar and sow at the Royal Agricultural 
Society Show at Cambridge, which gave the breed much fame. 
Since the time of Mr. Hobbes this breed has becomedistributed 
in England, especially in Suffolk County, adjoining Essex, where 
the leading breeders reside. In England to-day the Essex is 
generally known as the Small Black breed or Black Suffolk. 

The introduction of the Essex pig to America dates back to 
early in the last century. The old-fashioned type of Essex, it is 
thought, was owned about 1820 in Massachusetts, John Prince 
having a cross-bred sow, part Essex, part Chinese. In 1839 
Henry Parsons of Canada imported and kept Essex pigs near 
Massilon, Ohio. In 1886 S. M. Shepard wrote that of recent 
years a number of importations had been made and a few herds 
kept in New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Tennessee, 
and a few other states. One of the extensive breeders and 
importers of twenty-five years ago was William Smith of 
Michigan. At the present time one hears little of the breed in 
America, neither is it often seen in the exhibits of swine at the 
fairs or live-stock shows. 

Characteristics of the Essex pig. This breed has certain very 
distinguishing features. The color is entirely black. The head 
is rather short, \h^ face is slightly dished, \.\\q fore/iead \s broad, 
and the ears are small, fine, and carried erect. The j'ozvl is 
rather broad and full. The neck is short, the back very broad 
and somewhat short and strongly carried, while the sides are 
deep and short. The shoulders are well laid and thickly fleshed, 
and the hams are thick and deep and of superior merit. The 
legs, which tend to be rather short, show bone of fine quality. 
\n form the Essex is distinctly of the thick-fleshed, fat, chunky 
sort, and perhaps no breed in England has been fattened to so 



THE ESSEX 523 

high a degree. Owing to excessive flesh development the litters 
gradually became weak and enfeebled constitution finally resulted. 

The size of the Essex pig is small compared with the Poland- 
China or Berkshire, ranking among the smaller breeds. In i860 
Samuel Sidney wrote that "with age they attain considerable 
weight and often make 500 pounds at 24 months old." The 
P^mperor, a boar bred by Fisher Hobbes, Sidney states is 2 
feet 8^ inches high at the shoulder and 6 feet i inch long. 
Mr. F. D. Coburn quotes William Smith, an extensive breeder 
of Essex in Michigan, that these pigs often reach a weight of 
400 to 500 pounds. Dr. Chase of Kansas places their weight, 
under ordinary treatment, when full grown, at 250 to 275 pounds. 

The special field for the Essex seems to be in the hands of the 
small breeder or feeder. This is the case in England as well as 
in America. The type is not so well suited to severe conditions 
as some other breeds. 

The maturing qualities of the Essex are noteworthy, the breed 
having been famous for early maturity since the improvement first 
effected by Lord Western. Feeders easily mature at six months. 

The Essex as feeders rank high in combining early maturity 
with great flesh production. The capacity of the breed to lay 
on flesh has not been placed on record by American investigators, 
but it has long been famous as a profitable feeding kind, although 
producing a fatter pork than is at present in favor abroad. The 
temperament of the Essex is very docile, which naturally promotes 
easy as well as profitable feeding. 

The quality of Essex meat is fine and of excellent flavor, but 
a large per cent of fat to lean meat prevails, unless care is exer- 
cised in the kind of foods fed. Mr. J. A. Smith of Ipswich, 
England, who breeds and shows Essex, is quoted by Professor 
Long as saying that "one objection which is urged against the 
breed is their tendency to produce an undue proportion of fat, 
consumers complaining that the bacon is not sufficiently streaky." 

The cross-bred or grade Essex pig may be of considerable com- 
parative value. A half century ago it is said that the Berkshire 
breed was much improved by Essex blood. In fact Essex blood, 
as improved by Lord Westel'n and Fisher Hobbes, is said to 
have been responsible for much of the improvement through 



524 



THE PIG 



crossing or grading in the herds of England. It is a well-estab- 
lished fact that the Essex used on the coarser, rougher type 
imparts quality and early maturity. 

The fecundity of the Essex pig became impaired by its exces- 
sive development in fat production, a criticism made against the 
breed years ago. Mr. Smith, already quoted, says that his pigs, 
when properly managed, are very prolific, fifteen or sixteen being 
frequently in a litter, although ten to eleven is a fair number. 
The breed, however, does not stand high in this respect, being 
ranked below the Berkshire. As nurses the Essex sows are 
regarded as simply medium, not as a rule yielding an abundance 
of milk. The fecundity of individuals and their capacity to nurse 
young will depend in a measure on the character of food fed and 
condition of body. 

Organizations to promote Essex swine exist in America and 
England. The American Essex Association was organized in 
1887 and has a small following. It has published two volumes 
of the herdbook and has registered about 1500 animals in these 
volumes. In England the National Pig Breeders' Association 
officially represents the breed. 

The distribution of Essex pigs is quite widespread. They are 
found in England in a small way in various counties, notably in 
Essex and Suffolk. They have also been exported to France 
and other European countries and to Canada and Australia. In 
the United States a few herds are found in Michigan, Indiana, 
Texas, Nebraska, Alabama, Ohio, and elsewhere. The breed 
has met with favor in the South. 



CHAPTER LXXIII 

THE SMALL YORKSHIRE 

The origin of the Small Yorkshire pig, known as the " Small 
White " in England, is obscure. It has been assumed that it 
came from Chinese stock, though different to-day from the early 
Chinese type. Charles Mason of Chilton and Robert Colling of 
Darlington, Yorkshire, both Shorthorn cattle breeders, are the 
earliest known persons to have bred Small Yorkshires, then 
termed Chinese. They owned herds as early as 1818, but noth- 
ing is known of the parent stock. Following this period the 
breed met with some extensive distribution in England by 
Shorthorn breeders. 

Some strains or families of Small Whites early developed in 
England. A local breed, known as the Solway in Cumberland, 
assisted in the improvement of the Small Yorkshire, although 
this was descended from the Mason-Colling breeding of Small 
Whites. The Solway also played a part in improving the Large 
Yorkshire as bred by Mr. Wainman of Carhead. There existed 
some twenty-five or so years ago, a small white pig known as the 
Suffolk, which was essentially absorbed by the Small Yorkshire. 
In Cumberland was another type, some larger than the Small 
Yorkshire, but of the same general character, the blood of the 
two being freely mixed. Still another branch, descended from 
Mason-Colling stock, was known as the Windsor breed. A more 
modern and very popular strain was developed by Lord Ducie, 
which really resulted from a judicious blending of Cumberland 
and Small Yorkshire blood. 

The introduction of the Small Yorkshire pig to America under 
that name occurred many years ago. In 1888 Curtis wrote that 
it was first brought to this country about i860, but did not 
attract much attention. Colonel Richard M. Hoe of New York 
and William H. Cole of New Jersey made importations in 1872, 

525 



526 



THE PIG 



1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, and 1878, and to these importations trace 
the best-known herds of America. Small Yorkshires were first 
exhibited at New York and New Jersey fairs in 1875, while in 
1876 they were extensively shown in Ohio, Indiana, and at St. 
Louis and also at the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia. 

The characteristics of the Small Yorkshire are most striking. 
This breed among swine is the most highly developed of any 
from the standpoint of *' fancy" points. The head iw its most 
fashionable form presents a remarkable development. Th^face is 




Fig. 242. A Small Yorkshire boar, first in class at the Ohio State Fair, 1905. 
Owned and exhibited by George Ineichen of Indiana. Photograph by 
the author 



very short and broad, and is dished or curved to such a degree in 
specimens as to point the end of the nose upward. The lower jaw 
also is curved upward in a marked degree. In this highly dished 
face the eyes are often obscured by rolls of fat about the side of 
the head. The ears are short, fine, and erect, pointing forward. 
The jo7vl is naturally very round and highly developed. Thi5 
breed is famous for great fat production ; the Jieek short and 
thick, the back very broad, short, and deeply laid with fat or 
flesh, the tail set up well on a line with the back, the hams and 
shoulders heavy and full for the size, and the bone, hair, and 
quality quite refined. The color is entirely white except for 



THE SMALL YORKSHIRE 



527 



black spots occasionally occurring on the skin. In referring to 
the characteristics of the breed Professor James Long writes : 

In breeding the Small White pig the breeder should make it his aim to 
maintain the characteristic points of the variety, the chief of which are 
form {much in little^, fineness of bone, quantity and quality of hair, short- 
ness of snout, and aptitude to fatten. 

As a whole pigs of this breed have great breadth and depth for 
their size. 

The size of the Small Yorkshire ranks it as the smallest of the 
breeds kept in this country. The matured pig will usually weigh 




Fig. 243. A Small Yorkshire sow exhibited at the Royal Agricultural Society 
of England Show, 1903. Photograph from Professor G. E. Day 

from 180 to 200 pounds, although Mr. Sanders Spencer has had 
them weigh nearly 300 pounds at fifteen months of age. Owing 
to the very compact form individuals weigh more than might be 
anticipated. 

The early-maturing qualities of the Small Yorkshire are of a 
high order, so that the pigs may be fattened at almost any stage 
of development. 

The Small Yorkshire as a feeder is easily fattened, but does 
not make large gains. This has been regarded as a superior sort 
for making small roasting pigs, as the young things finish off 
early for this purpose. Some British swine authorities claim that 



528 'I'HH PIG 

pigs of this breed can be brought to excessive fatness on less 
food by half than any other breed. It will not, however, increase 
as rapidly in actual gains as the larger breeds. At the Vermont 
Experiment Station Small Yorkshires made an average daily 
gain of 1.04 pounds live weight, having an average weight of 
201 pounds after 184 days of feeding, starting at 23 pounds. 
It required 353 pounds of feed for 100 pounds gain, and the 
carcasses dressed 84.1 per cent. This record somewhat excelled 
that of the Berkshire. 

The Small Yorkshire as a grazing pig will do extremely well, 
at least that is the experience in England. Professor Long states 
that when a Small White pig is fit for exhibition it gets very 
little but grass, and that he has repeatedly seen fat pigs of this 
breed which in summer were entirely grass-fed. 

The quality of Small Yorkshire meat, while of fine grain and 
sweet, is not in favor to-day in Great Britain, containing as it 
does a high percentage of fat. Mr. John Walker, writing in 1905 
in Pigs for Profit, says : 

As far as quality goes these pigs are despised by the butcher because 
they give such a very small proportion of lean to fat that the pubHc leaves 
the joints of pork on the butcher's slab, it being so leanless, while the bacon 
curer will have naught to do with the fat little animals. 

The cross-bred or grade Small Yorkshire pig is in general an 
improvement over the pure-bred, if mated to a larger breed, for 
thereby a better grade of pork is produced and a more hardy and 
prolific stock results. 

The fecundity of the Small Yorkshire is about medium, with a 
tendency to small litters, such as might be expected from a breed 
tending to excess of fat development. The nursing females pro- 
duce but a moderate amount of milk. 

The popularity of the Small Yorkshire has decreased to such an 
extent that it is but slightly bred to-day in England or America. 
As a breed it was largely developed by fanciers, often for show. 
Its excessive fat, however, caused it to become unpopular in the 
British market, where a lean type of bacon is most in favor. 
According to Volume XX of the National Pig Breeders' Asso- 
ciation of Great Britain, only two or three breeders now enter 
their pigs, while of the Large Whites there are entered 1000 out 



THE SMALL YORKSHIRE 529 

of 1 39 1 . This does not speak well for the pojnilarity of the Small 
Yorkshire in England. In the United States the breed is very 
rarely seen at the live-stock shows, nor are there many breeders. 

The distribution of the Small Yorkshire is mainly in England 
and the United States, in small herds and in a limited degree, 
as has been indicated. They are mainly located in the eastern 
United States, notably in New York, Massachusetts, and Penn- 
sylvania, with a few small herds in the middle West. 

Organizations to protect and register Small Yorkshires exist in 
England and America. The National Pig Breeders' Association 
registers in Great Britain. In the United States the American 
Small Yorkshire Club was organized in New York in 1878. This 
club has registered about 1 500 pigs in the first two and only 
volumes of the herdbook issued. The American Yorkshire Club, 
organized in 1893, with headquarters in Minnesota, also registers 
this breed in the American YorksJiirc Record, of which two 
volumes have been published. In the herdbooks of this club 
the Small Yorkshires are registered in a group by themselves, 
as Class A, the Large Yorkshires being in Class B. Only a 
few hundred of the Small Yorkshires have been registered in 
this club, these being mainly in the western states. 



CHAPTER LXXIV 

THE SUFFOLK 

Two so-called breeds exist under this name, one in America, 
the other in England. The American breed is white, the Eng- 
lish black. At one time a type of small white pigs existed in 
England under the name of Suffolk, but it finally became absorbed 
with the Small Yorkshire, and to-day no such breed as a White 
Suffolk is recognized abroad. 

The English Suffolk pig is black, and, as will be seen in the dis- 
cussion of the Essex pig on page 521, this is known abroad as 
the Small Black breed, although the names Essex or Suffolk are 
appropriate and are used to a certain extent. 

The origin of the American Suffolk pig is no doubt of Small 
Yorkshire ancestry in England. This breed is said to have been 
imported to the United States in 1855 by John Wentworth of 
Illinois. The breed has never had much development in America, 
and so little impression has it made under the name of Suffolk 
that, although an association was years ago organized in its behalf, 
the American Suffolk is not recognized in the October, 1904, 
list of accredited swine-record associations of the United States 
Department of Agriculture. 

Characteristics of the American Suffolk pig. In 1872 the 
National Swine Breeders' Convention at Indianapolis, Indiana, 
approved of the following description of the breed, which is 
republished here as more specific than the published standard of 
the American Suffolk Swine Breeders' Association. 

Head small, very short ; cheeks prominent and full ; face dished ; snout 
small and very short ; jowl fine ; ears short, small, thin, upright, soft, and 
silky ; neck very short and thick, the head appearing almost as if set on 
front of shoulders, no arching of crest ; chest wide and deep ; elbows stand- 
ing out: brisket wide but not deep; shoulders thick, rather upright, rounding 
outward from top to elbow; crops wide and full, long ribs, well arched out 

530 



THE SUFFOLK 531 

from back, good length between shoulders and hams; flanks well filled out 
and coming well down at ham; back broad, level, straight from crest to 
tail, no falling off or down at tail; hams wide and full, well rounded out, 
twist very wide and full all the way down ; legs small and very short, stand- 
ing wide apart — in sows, just keeping belly from the ground; bone fine, 
feet small, hoofs rather spreading ; tail small, long, and tapering ; skin thin, 
of a pinkish shade, free from color; hair fine and silky, not too thick ; color 
of hair pale yellowish white, perfectly free from any spots or other color ; 
size small to medium. 

The American Suffolk pig in a breed comparison is essentially 
a Small Yorkshire, although the dish of face may not be always 
quite so pronounced as with the latter, while the size tends to be 
slightly larger. Otherwise the two breeds are one to all intents 
and purposes. 

The distribution of the American Suffolk pig is mainly in the 
Mississippi Valley, small herds being kept in Michigan, Iowa, 
Illinois, and Indiana. Several hundred have been registered in 
Canada. Between one and two thousand American Suffolks have 
been registered, but thus far no herdbook of the breed has been 
published. 



CHAPTER LXXV 

THE BACON TYPE OF PIG 

The demand for the bacon type of pig comes mainly from the 
export trade. Only in recent years has the American swine pro- 
ducer had his attention actively called to this class. This has 
been largely due to the demand of the British market for superior 
bacon. Denmark, Ireland, and Canada furnish much of the bacon 
consumed in England and Scotland. This bacon requires a liberal 




Fig. 244. Oak Lodge Royal Canadian, a Large Yorkshire boar owned by 
the Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph. This boar is in breeding con- 
dition only, and shows the desirable conformation of the bacon type of 
pig. Photograpli from Professor ("■. E. Day 

mixture of lean with fat, and suits the foreign trade much better 
than the fatter type produced in the Mississippi Valley. In spite 
of the British demand for this sort the American packers do not 
pay a premium for it ; consequently the feeder prefers to produce 
the more rapid-fattening, heavier-fleshed, earlier-maturing lard 
type. In spite of this fact the production of bacon pigs seems 

532 



THE BACON TYPE OF PIG 533 

destined to materially increase in the future in the United States, 
for the reason that bacon consumption is rapidly increasing. 

The general characteristics of the bacon pig as compared with 
the so-called lard hog are as follows : back not broad, head some- 
what long, side long and deep, a smoother shoulder, lighter ham, 
and somewhat longer leg. The general flesh covering is much 
less fat than with the lard type. In motion the bacon pig is 
animated and free of action, showing lively temperament. 

The head varies rather according to breed. Excessive length 
is undesirable, but the Tamworth often has a very long head. 
A medium length of nose is preferred, while a broad forehead, 
with ample width between the eyes, which should be of good 
size and easily seen, denotes mild disposition. A deep head with 
strong lower jaw is preferred. 

Ears of a fine quality, not large, thick, and coarse, but of 
moderate thickness, covered with silky hair, attached neatly well 
up on the head, and actively carried, are desirable. 

The neck tends to be a bit long, but a medium length is 
sought, with not too much width, blending nicely with head and 
shoulders. T\\Q.joivl lacks the extreme fullness found in the lard 
hog, and is free from wrinkles such as often occur with the heavy 
jowl. This part bacon-pig buyers regard as of little importance. 

The sJtoulders lie well into the body and do not bulge out 
prominently, but considerable width and depth, with ample flesh 
covering, are most desirable. A good specimen of this type never 
has prominent shoulders. Some extra thickness of skin and 
heaviness is expected with boars, but no notable heaviness. 

The/(?;r legs .should be well placed, coming down true, either 
viewed from front or side, the knees not "knocking in " and toes 
turning out, the pasterns being strongly carried, and the pig 
standing up in shapely form on the toes. A fine, hard bone is 
very important, as evidenced by clean-cut limbs and smooth 
joints, lacking coarseness and meatiness. A smooth, clean, hard 
bone is evidence of quality and is associated with the better sort 
of dressing out in killing. 

The cJiest may be compared to that of the race horse. It 
should be deep and full, yet not too broad. As one looks at 
the front of the pig the breast and brisket appear full and not 



534 



THE PIG 



peaked. Viewed from one side the brisket projects slightly 
beyond the legs. A hidden, retreating brisket indicates a poor 
constitution. 

The back should be carried level and show no sag, and the 
width should be uniformly maintained from shoulder to ham. A 
strong, nicely arched loin, as wide as any point of the back and 
smoothly fleshed, is important. A thickness of one and one-quarter 
to one and one-half inches of fat along the back is regarded as best 




Fig. 245. A shoulder and ham view of the bacon type of pig, showing the 
smooth shoulder and neatly tapering ham. Photograph from Profes- 
sor G. E. Day 

on the finished fed pig. The back of this type has a moderately 
arched rib, not flat, giving a body capacity in harmony with the 
best feeder. 

The sides are the most important feature, because from here 
comes the bacon so highly valued in this class. The sides must 
be long, evenly carried from shoulder to ham, be thick and full 
at flank, and of moderate depth. A very deep side provides too 
much belly or cheap meat. The side must be quite smooth and 



THE BACON TYPE OF PIG 



535 



free of wrinkles, and be covered evenly with flesh. In touching 
on this subject the Ingersoll Packing Company of Canada says : 

The packer calls for the long, lean pigs, as they are the ones that suit 
best and are most difficult to procure ; tiiis is the only kind that will furnish 
tlie desired " Wiltshire side," and it will also make any of the other cuts 
the market calls for. 

The ;■//;;// and Jiams lack the heavy development of the lard 
type, but a level, long, moderately broad rump is important. 
The hams in their lower parts should be long, gradually tapering, 
not necessarily split up high between, with shallow, neatly turned 
twist. They should also be broad from front to rear, with a 
medium thick covering of flesh, tapering to the hocks. 

The Jiind legs should have all the merits of the fore legs in 
bone, quality, and smoothness, and in position of pasterns and 
toes. Besides this the hocks should be well placed, being smooth 
of joint and neither close nor wide behind. 

The quality of the bacon pig is most important. This is seen 
in the clean, smooth bone and joints, and the abundant hair, lack- 
ing in coarseness, lying close to the mellow skin. Wrinkles 
should be lacking, and the entire body be smooth and evenly 
covered with flesh in breeding as well as in feeding stock. 

The weight of bacon pigs most acceptable in the market is 
from 170 to 180 pounds, although 200 is not excessive. Danish 
bacon pigs range from 180 to 220 pounds. The larger type is 
not approved in Canada, the smaller being preferred. 

Breeding bacon pigs should show the characteristics associated 
with se.x, but in general the above description applies to the 
bacon type. The boar should have a strong, masculine head, 
neck, and shoulder, the sow a smaller, more refined sort, with 
more depth of belly than possessed by boar or barrow. 



CHAPTER LXXVI 

LARGE YORKSHIRE OR EARGE WHITE 

The ancestry of the Large Yorkshire clearly goes back over a 
century. Swine from time immemorial have been known in Eng- 
land, and a large, coarse, leggy, narrow-backed, white hog was 
common in early days in that country. In 1789 George Culley 
referred to what is no doubt parent stock of the breed, as follows : 

There was a breed of large white pigs with very large ears hanging over 
their eyes, which a few years ago were very common in many parts of 
Yorkshire and Lancashire. They were very plain, thin, awkward hogs, with 
very long legs, but what distinguished them more was two wattles or dugs, 
not unlike the teats of a cow's udder, which hung down from tlieir throats 
on each side. 

Early in the nineteenth century Dickson wrote that the old 
Yorkshire breed was the worst of the large sort, being long 
legged and weak loined, with a constitution not of the soundest 
kind. These were, however, he writes, being improved by Berk- 
shire stock. In 1842 Low wrote as follows: 

In Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and generally in the eastern counties 
there are breeds of large size, of a white color, and with pendent ears. 
These breeds have been cultivated with more or less care, and have all been 
affected in their form and characters by crossing. 

The white pigs of Cumberland County were also closely related 
to those of Yorkshire and were much intermi.xed. 

This old type of Yorkshire had a strong coat of white hair, 
some blackish or bluish skin spots covered with white hair, a 
large, long head, big ears, and strong bone. It was slow of 
maturity and was fed up to over 800 pounds. 

The modernizing of the Large Yorkshire began about the 
middle of the nineteenth century. Sidney credits the first cor- 
rect movement to improve by using white Leicesters on old 
Yorkshires. These Leicesters were large, with smaller heads 
than the Yorkshire, had erect ears, were fine of hair and light 

536 



LARGE YORKSHIRE OR LARGE WHITE 537 

of bone compared with the others. This cross was improved by 
breeding the largest and best young sows to Small Yorkshire 
boars of great fattening capacity. The improvement thus effected 
mainly took place sixty or so years ago about the cities of Leeds, 
Keighley, and Skipton in the county of York, and to a con- 
siderable extent by factory hands and laborers. In 185 i Joseph 
Tuley, a weaver of Keighley, exhibited a pig at the Royal Agri- 
cultural Show at Windsor that attracted great attention, and 




Fig. 246. Holywell Royalty II, a fine example of a Large Yorkshire boar. 
Bred and owned by Sanders Spencer, Holywell Manor, St. Ives, Eng- 
land. Photograph from Mr. Spencer 

later his strain of Large Yorkshires was very popular, and his 
pigs sold at high prices. At this time the pig breeders of York- 
shire and Cumberland kept pedigrees of their pigs, which they 
printed and made much of. The agricultural societies of the 
region offered prizes to promote the breed, and there was keen 
competition in the show ring. The various towns had agricultural 
societies and shows. Regarding these Sidney wrote as follows : 

At these sho\v.s there is often a row of twenty or thirty fat pigs, worth 
from £6 to ^12 each, all as white as soap and water can make them, 
stretched on beds of clean straw, with wrappers of some kind to protect 
them from the sun or rain, contending for the first prize, ^4 ; second prize, 
^3 ; third prize, £2 ; fourth prize, £1. 



538 THE PIG 

At this time Yorkshire was credited with being in the first rank 
as a pig-breeding county, having the largest white breed in 
England and the largest hogs in the world. 

The early improvers of the Large Yorkshire may ])erhaps date 
from Mr. Tuley, as has been indicated. From a sow Matchless 
and a boar Sampson, of his breeding, came some of his best 




Fig. 247. Roger (7203), first-prize and champion Large Yorkshire boar, and 
winner of the Berkshire Society gold medal, at the Royal Agricultural 
Society of England Show, 1904. Owned by the Earl of Ellesmere. Photo- 
graph from William Cooper & Nephews, Berkhamsted, England 

Stock. Mr. W. B. Wainman of Carhead, Yorkshire, used hogs 
of Tuley blood and added to the merits of the breed, for he 
produced stock of much quality and sent them to various parts 
of the world. In his herd selected pigs by careful feeding 
would attain a weight of about 500 pounds in twelve months. 
Besides Tuley and Wainman numerous others have long bred 
and improved this breed, notably Sanders Spencer of St. Ives, 
Huntingdon County, who for a half century has been a most 
distinguished breeder. 

The important characteristics of the Large Yorkshire are as 
follows : 

The head is medium long and should have but little upwurd 
curve. Some prefer a lengthy head, but modern ideas object to 
too much extension. A broad, strong underjaw is desired. 



LARGE YORKSHIRE OR LARGE WHITE 



539 



The cars incline to be heavy and droop forward. They should 
be fine, of medium size, and be carried well upward and only 
slightly pointing forward. Loppy ears are objectionable. 

The body should have considerable length. The back is not 
broad like that of the Poland-China, but should be of fair and 
uniform width with considerable depth, the sides being long and 
deep at the flanks, and full between shoulder and hip. From 
the American point of view this breed tends to have a weak loin 
and too narrow a back. 

The hams arc not expected to be extremely fat and heavy, 
but should be of good size and thickness, with the thighs well 
carried down. Thin thighs and cow hocks are very common with 
this type of hog. 

The color of the hair should always be white on every part of 
the body. Bluish or blackish spots occur occasionally on the 
skin under this white hair, and while objected to by fanciers, do 




Fig. 24S. Oak Lodge Julia 7th, 2586, a Large Yorkshire sow, winner of 
first prize and championship at the Pan-American Exposition, 1901. 
Bred by J. E. Brethour, Burford, Ontario. Photograph from Profes- 
sor G. E. Day 

not affect purity of breeding, neither do they disqualify regis- 
tration. The skin should be pink and healthy. White pigs in 
America, especially in the sunny West, tend to scurfiness of skin 
and sun scald, which causes them to be more or less unpopular. 
The size of the Large Yorkshire places this breed in the first 
rank. Long writes of a Wainman sow that weighed 1203 pounds. 



540 



THE PIG 



In 1 90 1 several sows of the breed were exhibited at the Inter- 
national Live Stock Exposition, which weighed over 1000 pounds 
each. Mr. Spencer, in reply to a letter from Professor Long, says : 

The Large Whites reach, in the heaviest animals, 12 stone (168 pounds) 
at six months old ; at nine months, 20 stone to 25 stone (280-350 pounds) ; 
at 12 months, 30 stone (420 pounds); and at 18 months, 45 stone (630 
pounds). . . . Sampson VI, a boar bred and exhibited by myself, and winner 
at the Royal two years in succession, weighed, alive, 9] hundredweight 
(1092 pounds) at 23 months, and was light in bone and carried but little offal. 

The modern market demand, however, is for a smaller pig, and 
Yorkshire breeders are producing a smaller Large Yorkshire 

type, but few of the big 
pigs appearing before 
the public. 

The early-maturing 
character of the Large 
Yorkshire is not pro- 
nounced. Feeders in 
the corn belt, used to 
pigs that will finish off 
in eight months, find 
this breed slow to 
mature. The Yorkshire 
grows very well but 
does not fatten as early as the American breeds. At six months 
of age the Yorkshire lacks the fattened condition possessed by 
other breeds not of the bacon type. In fact, it never will, as a 
matter of inheritance, carry so much fat, for it is a leaner sort. 

Large Yorkshire cross-breds are a very superior type. The 
Yorkshire boar bred to either Poland-China or Berkshire sows 
produces most excellent feeders. In experiments conducted by 
the author with this combination the pigs grew rapidly, fed 
extremely well, finished off smoothly, and produced the best sort 
of meat. In numerous cross-breds examined the interesting fact 
has been brought out that the white color of the Yorkshire is 
almost invariably predominant. This demonstrates the prepo- 
tency and fixity of character of the breed. The use of Large 
Yorkshire boars on our typical American sows should not only 




P'lo. 249. Holywell Czarina, a Large Yorkshire 
sow on pasture at Sanders Spencer's, Holywell 
Manor, St. Ives, England. Photograph by the 
author 



LARGE YORKSHIRE OR LARGE WHITE 541 

produce most desirable feeders but should also increase the size 
of litters and thus improve the defective fecundity of many sows. 
The Large Yorkshire as a bacon producer has special distinction. 
The breeders of this pig emphasize the value of this character. 
In Denmark, England, Ireland, and Canada, where bacon pro- 
duction is an important industry, the Yorkshire and its crosses 
is the most common blood used. The Messrs. Denny, an English 
bacon firm, desired to introduce the best type of bacon hog to 
use on the common stock of Ireland. After some experimental 
work with the English breeds they sent Large Yorkshires as 







>'^1^ 


v^^^^^H|(H|| 


■1 


f 


-.»j«r 


:■ J>a;s,i* - v_. 




» 


^ 




r^^^Mi 1 


J" 


m 



Fig. 250. A pure-bred Large Yorkshire barrow, about six moiitiis old, 
one of the champion pen of the breed at the International Live 
Stock Exposition, Chicago, 1905. Bred and exhibited by Ohio 
State University. Photograph by the author 

the best, as they had the thickest bellies and the most streaky 
meat. In Denmark the Large Y'orkshire boar is extensively used, 
in fact it is the standard for breeding to ordinary Danish sows. 
The William Davies Packing Company of Canada also advocate the 
use of Large Yorkshires and their crosses for bacon production. 

Large Yorkshires dress out just fair in slaughtering. In the 
report of the block test at the Ontario Provincial Winter Fair in 
1 90 1 the average percentage of dressed weight of the Yorkshire 
carcass was 78.4. The fatter pigs dress out somewhat heavier. 
Mr. Spencer states that this breed will dress out 76 to 82 per 
cent. Yorkshires fed in the corn belt, with Indian corn as the 
main food, will no doubt kill out better than if fed barley, peas, 



542 



TH1-: PIG 



oats, middlings, and similar fo(xls, such as are used in Canada 
and Europe. 

The Large Yorkshire as a prolific breed stands in the front 
rank. The females from very early days have been noted for 
producing large litters. Long refers to a sow of Wainman breed- 
ing that reared 153 pigs in 13 litters, while one of her daughters 
raised 33 pigs in three litters. Richard Gibson, a prominent 
Canadian breeder, wTitcs of an imported sow of his that has 
bred 96 pigs in three years without the least apparent injury to 
her constitution. James Howard, long an English Yorkshire 
breeder of prominence, prefers sows of this breed to have 12 
teats and emphasizes the importance of her being a good milker. 
The sows very generally make good mothers. 

The Large Yorkshires as feeders have not given equal satisfac- 
tion in America. They do not seem to eat our standard foods 
with the relish shown by the Poland-China or Chester White. 




Fig. 251. Holywell Rosador, a Middle White boar, first prize at the Royal 
Counties Show and at the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scot- 
land Show, 1899. Bred and exhibited by Sanders Spencer, Holywell 
Manor, St. Ives, England. Photograph by the author 

For some years the author has bred and fed the Large Yorkshire 
alongside three other breeds, and in the comparison the Yorkshire 
was distinctly at a disadvantage as a feeder. This test included 
imported, Canadian, and home-bred Yorkshires. Neither does the 
pure-bred graze equally well with our more common breeds. 



LARGE YORKSHIRE OR LARGE WHITE 543 

The introduction of the Large Yorkshire to the United States 
occurred prior to 1840, and in 1841 a pair was imported by 
A. B. Allen and brought to Ohio. Undoubtedly specimens of 
this breed have been brought to America from time to time for 
over a century. In 1893 Wilcox and Liggett of Minnesota 
imported some of the more modern type, and from this and 
Canadian stock have come most of the present Large Yorkshire 
stock in this country. The people of Canada have been breed- 
ing Yorkshires for many years, and the most important herds in 
America are in that country. 

The Large Yorkshire's popularity in the United States has not 
grown in a substantial or even satisfactory way. Undoubtedly 
it is a superior bacon producer, raises large litters, and is a meri- 
torious animal. Its slow-fattening character, its usual lean and 
leggy type, its inferiority as a feeder, and its white color furnish 




Fig. 252. Walton Jewel II, a Middle White sow, first-prize winner at the 
Royal Agricultural Society of England Show, 1905. Exhibited by Sir 
Gilbert Greenall, Bart. Photograph from Professor G. E. Day 

more or less of the objection of the western pork producer. If 
the people of the United States really had a market for bacon 
that would justify the feeding of this class of hogs, no doubt the 
Yorkshire would be more extensively bred and fed. 

The distribution of the Large Yorkshire is very widespread. 
Mr. Sanders Spencer has exported them to forty-six different 



544 THE PIG 

countries, including luirope, Asia, Africa, Australia, and North 
and South America. It is the leading white breed of Great 
Britain, Denmark, and Canada, and is used more or less in differ- 
ent European and British settled countries. In the United States 
it is bred to a limited extent in Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, 
and other states. 

The American Yorkshire Club was organized in 1893 for the 
promotion of the breed. The official headquarters have long 
been in Minnesota. Up to January i, 1905, two modest herd- 
books had been published, in which was also registered a limited 
number of Small Yorkshires, these being grouped as Class A and 
the Large Yorkshires as Class B. In Great Britain all registered 
Yorkshires are recorded by the National Pig Breeders' Association. 

The Middle "White or Middle Yorkshire is of a smaller, fatter 
type than the Large Yorkshire. It has a more dished head, 
broader back, is of a fatter type, and more nearly approaches 
American ideals in pig form than does the Large Yorkshire. 
Middle Whites arc not a recognized breed in America, though 
they are in Great Britain. Middle Whites may come from Large 
Yorkshire litters, being selections of the correct form, or may 
result from a cross of Small Yorkshire boars on Large Yorkshire 
sows. No doubt numerous pigs recorded in America as Large 
Yorkshires would be classed as Middle Whites in England. Under 
the circumstances it is not always easy to draw the line between 
the two so-called breeds. 



CHAPTER LXXVII 

THE TAMWORTH 

The native home of the Tam worth is the counties of Stafford, 
Leicester, Northampton, and Warwick in central England, but 
notably in Stafford. This is generally a rolling but not very hilly 
region, with a temperate, moist climate. 

The ancestry of the Tamworth pig is obscure. Tradition and 
history refer to a pig of Tamworth type existing early in the last 
century. Most writers on the pig say but little of this breed and 
we know almost nothing of its early development. Spencer states 
that this is one of the oldest English varieties, which fed in 
large droves on oak and beech mast in the forests of the mid- 
land counties even before the battle of Waterloo. In an address 
before a breeders' association at Detroit in 1899, Mr. E. N. Ball 
stated that the breed was introduced into England from Ireland 
by Sir Robert Peel about 18 12, but no evidence is found else- 
where to support this statement. 

The early type of Tamworth was long of leg and snout, narrow 
of back, and shallow of body, slow to mature, very active and 
hardy, and usually of a sandy or reddish color. 

The improvement of the Tamworth came with the conversion 
of England into a cultivated region, when farmers wanted a less 
active type of pig. The opinion seems to prevail that this breed 
was mainly improved by selection, the breeders seeking to secure 
a quieter type, fattening more rapidly than of old and yet retain- 
ing the characteristic color. In 1886 Mr. F. C. Fidgeon of 
Tamworth, England, who had a considerable knowledge of the 
breed, iniormed Professor Long that in the nearly sixty years 
he had known the Tamworth he had never noticed so great a 
change as from about 1880 to 1886. 

A generation ago [he says] they were a lean pig, of a very dark red color, 
which never varied in shade and were provided with a very long snout. Of 

545 



546 THE PIG 

late the color has altered in shade, having become a sandy or lighter red, 
a point which is apparently growing in favor, although I question very 
much whether this color is as pure as the original dark red, for I believe it 
has been obtained by a not very distant cross with a white pig. 

Spencer has also suggested the white cross and NeapoHtan cross. 
For years the breed was almost unnoticed, excepting by a limited 
number. In comparatively recent years it has received renewed 
attention for its bacon value. In 1847 ^ Tamworth sow won 




Fig. 253. A Tamworth boar, winner of first prize in class at the Royal Agri- 
cultural Society of England Show, 1904. Exhibited by Robert Ibbotson. 
Photograph from William Cooper & Nephews, Berkhamsted, England 

first honors at the royal show, but the breed was not given a 
special class recognition by the Royal Agricultural Society of 
England until 1885. 

The introduction of the Tamworth to America is generally 
credited to Mr. Thomas Bennett of Rossville, Illinois, who 
imported some pure-bred pigs in 1882. Professor Shaw states 
that since 1888 large numbers have been introduced into Canada. 
Most of the importations to the United States have been from 
Canada. 

Characteristics of the Tamworth. The color is red, varying in 
shade from light to dark, "a golden red hair on a flesh-colored 
skin free from black" being preferred. In form the Tamworth 
is large, lean in type, and long in head, body, and leg. The head 



THE TAMWORTH 



547 



is notably long of snout, tends to be narrow with straight snout, 
and the face but slightly dished. The ears are large and should 
be erect or leaning slightly forward, not breaking over. The back 
is narrow and long and the sides long and should be deep, but 
usually are not, based on American standards. The shoulders 
are usually well placed and carry sufficient breadth but lack in 
thickness. The hams represent the lean type, lacking thickness 
at the twist and general development of lower thigh. The legs 
are long and show considerable strength, and the pasterns are 
well sustained, the pigs standing easily on the toes. In tempera- 
ment the breed is active 
and almost restless, but 
the disposition seems 
mild and gentle. The 
National Pig Breeders' 
Association of Great 
Britain lists the follow- 
ing as objectionable 
points in the Tam- 
worth : black hair, very 
light or ginger hair, 
curly coat, coarse mane, 

black spots on skin, slouch or drooping ears, short or turned-up 
snout, heavy shoulders, wrinkled skin, inbent knees, and hollow- 
ness at back of shoulders. 

The size of the Tamworth is large, approaching, if not equaling, 
that of the Large Yorkshire. The Buffalo Review of August 17, 
1899, refers to a Tamworth boar in England, under three years 
old, which weighed alive 1607 pounds and dressed 1330 pounds. 
This, of course, was abnormal. The average mature boar will 
probably weigh about 600 pounds and the sow 450 pounds. At 
six months old pigs will weigh about 175 pounds. 

The Tamworth as a bacon pig ranks very high. The claim 
is made that, owing to dissatisfaction with the fat quality of 
bacon produced in the average pig in England along in the early 
eighties, the Tamworth came to the front to supply the necessary 
lean meat. The sides are long, and in good specimens deep, and 
have a superior admixture of lean and fat of highly acceptable 




Fig. 254. A Tamworth boar. Photograph 
from Professor G. E. Day 



548 THE PIG 

quality. Consequently this feature of its conformation, with the 
lack of thick external fat, caused the recent agitation in its behalf 
in England and America. It is but fair to say, however, that in 
spite of the arguments in behalf of this as a bacon producer, it is 
bred only in a small way abroad, the Large Yorkshire being the 
leading bacon pig of both Britain and Denmark. 

The maturing quality of the Tamworth is inferior, probably 
being less forward in development than any other breed in 
America. While growth is constantly made, an early-finished, 
matured product does not usually obtain. However, some British 
feeders have argued that the Tamworth will mature early. Mr. 
G. M. Allender, long a famous British breeder, says, " I find that 
the Tamworths feed early, and I have hams now hanging which 
exceed 20 pounds each in weight, smoked and dried, although 
they were cut from pigs which were only twenty-seven weeks 
old." The Mitchell Brothers of Birmingham, who won first prize 
at the Birmingham Fat Stock Show in 1884, informed Professor 
Long that the Tamworths they exhibited were only five and 
one-half months old and weighed 12 score per pig, or 240 pounds. 
These pigs were from a sow twelve months old at farrowing. 

The feeding quality of the Tamworth is fairly good, the pig 
making considerable growth for the food fed. Mr. E. N. Ball of 
Michigan reports on three pigs about sixteen weeks old, which 
during ninety-seven days gained a total of 340 pounds from 1224 
pounds of grain, or 100 pounds of gain for 360 pounds of feed. 
Rommel of the LTnited States Department of Agriculture, aver- 
aging the results of feeding six breeds as brought out in repre- 
sentative tests by experiment stations, shows that in 16 tests 
involving 92 Tamworths it required 344 pounds of feed for 100 
pounds gain live weight. In the Iowa feeding trials on breeds three 
experiments were conducted, showing daily gains for Tamw^orths 
of .J"], 1. 00, and 1.05 pounds respectively, the average cost per 
pound of gain being $2.42, ranking fifth in cost of production 
among the breeds. The Iowa experiments also showed that the 
Tamworths dressed out in carcass very well, the average being 
78.46 per cent for 14 pigs, comparing creditably with five other 
breeds, surpassing three of them. At the Ontario Agricultural 
College, in comparisons of six breeds, covering five years of 



THE TAMWORTH 



549 



feeding, 390.17 pounds meal were required for 100 pounds gain, 
this being the best showing made by any breed but the Berkshire. 
The cross-bred or grade Tarn worth has considerable merit. 
Tamworth boars on Berkshire sows are a favorite cross with 
some feeders in England. When bacon curers complained of 
Berkshires fattening too heavily the Tamworth cross was resorted 
to with desirable results. Long reports that the Messrs. Mitchell 
during two years bred and fed 300 pigs, all by Tamworth 
boars from Berkshire and Yorkshire sows, that averaged 200 to 
240 pounds weight at under nine months old. Tamworth boars. 




Fig. 255. A Tamworth sow, an excellent illustration of the best type of the 
breed. Photograph from the Natiotial Stockman and Fanner 

bred on the fat type of American sows, will produce a very 
attractive, easy-feeding, highly-marketable porker. Used on 
Poland-China grades considerable success may be expected. If 
cross-bred females are used for breeding they will produce much 
larger litters than will the American breeds. The Tamworth sire 
is very prepotent, and reproduces his color in a marked degree. 

The fecundity of the Tamworth is a striking feature of the 
breed. Mr. Fidgeon reports his sows generally bringing from ten 
to fifteen pigs at a litter. It is generally conceded in Britain that 
the Tamworth is unsurpassed for fecundity and size of litter. 
One of the quoted objections to the breed in England was that 
it was too prolific, the sows bringing fifty per cent too many 



550 



THE PIG 



young ones. It is this renovating quality of fecundity which has 
furnished important arguments for Tamworth breeders in behalf 
of the breed. The sows make good mothers and produce an 
abundance of milk, as might be anticipated with this type. 

The Tamworth as a grazing pig or rustler has a distinct place. 
It was for this reason that the breed was originally highly valtied, 
and this quality still obtains. The pigs are hardy and naturally 
adapt themselves to pasture and clover or rape. Such feeding 
is essentially better for producing bacon than fat meat. 

Criticisms of the Tamworth. Several characteristics of the 
Tamworth have invoked much criticism in America. The long 
head, narrow back, and long legs are not looked on with favor 
by American breeders. The great mass of American stockmen 
will not accept this type, and do not think it a profitable feeder 
or desirable sort. Unquestionably it will not feed as satisfactorily 
for us as will our more acceptable breeds, and from past experi- 
ence the general evidence shows that the buyer will not pay as 
much for these pigs as for the common type of the country. 
It is undoubtedly true that the Tamworth is more prolific and 
produces a better quality of bacon, but it is not yet demonstrated 
in the United States that this is a pig the market wants on 
a serious basis. In 1898, in letters to the Kansas Board of 
Agriculture, Armour & Company stated that there was no special 
demand for bacon hogs, while Swift & Company said there was 
a growing demand, Berkshires being preferred. 

The distribution of the Tamworth is very limited. The breed 
is kept in a small way in England, and the same applies to Canada 
and the United States. Specimens are not commonly shown at 
the important stock shows of England or in this country. The 
principal herds in America are found in Ontario, Canada, and in 
Michigan, Illinois, and Iowa in the United States. 

Organizations to promote Tamworths exist in England in the 
authority of the National Pig Breeders' Association of Great 
Britain, and in America in the American Tamworth Swine 
Record Association, the latter being organized in Michigan in 
1897. The American Association has thus far published one 
record. The Dominion Swine Breeders' Association of Canada 
also registers this breed under government supervision. 



CHAPTER LXXVIII 



THE THIN RIND OR HAMPSHIRE 



This breed has been known for many years in the United 
States under the name of Thin Rind. In 1904, by official action 
of the American Thin Rind Record Association, this name was 
changed to Hampshire. The name Hampshire seems ill advised 
to the wTiter, for the reason that quite a different breed of pigs 
exists at present under that name in England. It is unfortunate 




Fig. 256. A pair of Thin Rind or Hampshire pigs. Photograph from 
John Goodwine, Jr., Potomac, llhnois 

to have the same name for two different breeds of swine, and is 
not justifiable. Therefore the author will make use of the word 
Thin Rind, which is said to have been given on account of the 
mellow thin skin and soft silky hair. 

The origin of the Thin Rind breed of swine is quite obscure. 
Mr. H. F. Work states that this pig was a native of Hampshire, 
England, early in the last century. About 1820 to 1825 a retired 
sea captain named MacKay, living near Boston, Massachusetts, 
is said to have bought some of these pigs in England and taken 
them to Massachusetts, where they became popular under his 
name and later became known as Thin Rinds. This breed has 



552 



'i'HK PIG 



long been known in Kentucky as the Thin Rind, and it has been 
assumed that it came from the same source as the MacKay pi<^. 
In 1835 Major Joel Garnctt is said to have introduced Thin 
Rinds to Kentucky, having purchased from eastern persons. 
Some have claimed also that the ancestors of the Kentucky 
Thin Rind were imported prior to 1842 from Tonquin, China, 
by a merchant of New Orleans. The author has been unable to 
secure any absolute information regarding the true ancestry of 
this pig. No description of any breed has been found in the early 
English writings which will apply to the Thin Rind of 1835. 

Characteristics of the Thin Rind pig. The Jicad is of the straight 
faced type, of medium size, with light jowl. The cars, though 
erect, incline slightly forward. The back tends to be of only 
medium width, not thick, and is fairly well supported. The 
shou/ders are light and well set in, and have fair width. The 
body as a whole has only moderate depth and length, produc- 
ing a fair side for bacon. The /lains are lacking in fullness, not 
possessing the thickness and depth of the more popular Ameri- 
can breeds. The legs tend to be somewhat long, but the bone is 
of good quality, while the pasterns and toes are usually well 
placed. The color of the Thin Rind is usually black, with a 
white belt about the body, this being known as a " listed " color, 
or solid black. This white band or list is from four to twelve 
inches wide, encircling the body just back of and about the fore 
legs, the latter also being usually white. In discussing the color 
Mr. H. F. Work says : 

While the list will long be retained by many of the breeders as the most 
fashionable color, there are also those who try to run their herds pure black. 
An ideal color is made up much as one may fancy, and the "color craze " 
should not exclude worthy animals that are a little " off color," save where 
spots occur. The breeding of blacks is an absolute necessity when the 
listed hogs begin to show too much white, so as to narrow the belt. 

The size of the Thin Rind pig does not place it among the 
largest breeds, it being about medium in size. Boars sometimes 
attain weights of 500 pounds, but usually are much smaller. 
The sows weigh about 300 pounds in ordinary condition. Bar- 
rows in high flesh attain a weight of 300 to 400 pounds. At the 
1903 International Live Stock Exposition John Goodwine, Jr., 



THE THIN RIND OR HAMPSHIRE 



553 



won first prize for barrows with five Thin Rinds which averaged 
493 pounds each at eighteen months old, one of which won 
the championship in the slaughter test. 

The fecundity of the Thin Rind pig is of superior character. 
The sows usually farrow litters of ten or twelve pigs after the first 
farrowing, and make excellent mothers and nurses. In this respect 
they rank with the most prolific breeds of American ancestry. 

Grade or cross-bred Thin Rind pigs are not common. The use 
of the pure-bred boar on common sows will result in a more 
prolific stock, leaning toward the bacon type. Superior Thin 
Rind boars should add vigor and killing quality to the offsj^ring 
of a certain class of high-fleshed sows of chunky type. 

The Thin Rind as a grazer ranks high in Kentucky and else- 
where, where pigs range more or less for mast, and seek for feed in 
field and forest. It was this quality, together with that of fecund- 
ity, which added to the popularity of the breed where known. 

The quality of Thin Rind meat is distinctly superior. Natu- 
rally the breed belongs to the bacon class, but when persistently 
fed corn for generations it loses some of its bacon-producing 
character. Yet in the slaughter tests these pigs have made a 
good showing. At the 1901 International Live Stock Exposition 
at Chicago the second prize for both pens of five barrows of 
export bacon type, and for carcass weighing 300 pounds or over, 
was awarded Thin Rind barrows exhibited by Mr. Goodwine of 
Illinois. At the 1905 International Mr. E. C. Stone won the 
grand championship in barrow class over all breeds. Thin Rind 
meat is of excellent grain with a desirable proportion of lean to fat. 

An organization to promote Thin Rind interests was incorpo- 
rated by six Boone County, Kentucky, farmers in 1893, they form- 
ing the American Thin Rind Record Association. At this time 
about twelve herds of swine of this breed were eligible for regis- 
tration, mainly located in Kentucky and Indiana. In 1904 this 
association changed its name to the American Hamp.shire Swine 
Record Association. No hcrdbook has yet been published. 

The distribution of the Thin Rind breed is not extensive. It 
has long been bred and fed in Kentucky, and herds in a small 
way have been kept in Indiana and Illinois. The popularity of 
this breed is restricted, but has gained somewhat in recent years. 



554 I^W^ ^^^ 



A FEW REFERENCE BOOKS ON THE PIG 

Those marked with a * are especially recommended. 

Jacob Biggle, Biggie Swine Book. Philadelphia, 1S99. 

*F. D. CoBURN, Swine IIu.sbandry. New York, 1888. 

Joseph Harris, Harris on the Pig. New York, 1870. 

*James Long, The Book of the Pig. London, N.D. 

Ur. Georg May, Die Schweinezucht. Berlin, 1880. 

*George M. Rommel, The Hog Industry. Washington, 1904. 

*S. M. Shepard, The Hog in America. Indianapolis, 1896. 

*Samuei, Sidney, The Pig. London, 1S71. 

*SANnERs Spencer, Pigs: Breeds and Management. London, 1897. 

John Walker, Pigs for Profit. London, 1905. 

*William YouAiTi- and W. C. L. Martin, The Hog. New York, 1863. 



MISCELLANEOUS LIVE-STOCK BOOKS 

R. L. Allen, Domestic Animals. New York, 1859. 

*JoHN Coleman, Cattle, Sheep, and Pigs of Great Britain. London, 1887. 

*JoHN A. Craig, Judging Live Stock (sixth edition). College Station, Te.xas, 
1904. 

George Culley, Observations on Live Stock. Dublin, 1789. 

*George W. Curtis, Horses, Cattle, Sheep, and Swine. College Station, Texas, 
1 888. 

R. W. Dickson, An Improved System of Management of Live Stock and Cattle. 
London, N.D. 

Sir William Jardine, The Natural History of the Ruminating Animals (The 
Naturalists' Library, Vol. IV). Edinburgh, 1836. 

*Live Stock Journal Almanac. London, issued yearly. 

*D.\viD Low, On the Domesticated Animals of the British Islands. London, 
1842. 

D. G. F. Macdonald, Cattle, Sheep, and Deer. London, 1872. 

R. O. Pringle, The Live Stock of the Farm. Edinburgh, 1875. 

G. G. Richardson, The Corn- and Cattle-Producing Districts of France. Lon- 
don, N.D. 

J. II. Sanders, The Breeds of Live Stock. Chicago, 1887. 

*Thomas Shaw, The Study of Breeds in America. New York, 1900. 

*RoBERT Wallace, Farm Live Stock of Great Britain. Edinburgh, 1889. 

*Various Writers, The Best Breeds of British Stock. London, 1898. 

*WiLLiAM YouAiT, The Complete Grazier (revised by William Fream). Lon- 
don, 1893. 



INDEX 



Aberdeen Angus cattle, 213 ; as a daii7 
cow, 220; characteristics, 217 ; cross- 
ing or grading, 220 ; early improvers, 
214; geographical distribution of, 
224; in America, famous, 223; intro- 
duction to America, 216; native 
home of, 213; organizations, 224; 
origin, 213; prices brought by, 222. 

Aberdeen Angus steer at International 
Live Stock Exposition, 222. 

Aberdeen Angus steers, 221 ; prices 
brought by, 223. 

Aberdeen Angus tribes in favor, 216. 

Action coach horse, 62. 

Aguirre Merinos, 342. 

American Merino, 339 ; as wool pro- 
ducer, 349; breeding qualities, 351 ; 
characteristics, 348 ; cross-bred or 
grade, 350; maturing qualities, 352; 
mutton qualities, 350; show-ring vic- 
tory, 355 ; size, 349. 

American studbook, 80. 

American Yorkshire Club, 544. 

Anchitherium, 4. 

Angora Goat Breeders' Association, 459. 

Angora goat, description, 456 ; distribu- 
tion, 459; fleece of, 457; introduction 
to America, 455 ; mutton, 45S ; native 
home, 455; prices, 459; prolificacy, 
459 ; renovator brush land, 458 ; va- 
rieties, 455. 

Appenzell goat, 462. 

Arab horse, 7; characteristics, 12; cross- 
bred, 13 ; famiUes, 9 ; foundation, 
9; in American history, 10; native 
home, 8; notable, 12; origin, 8; 
registration of, 13. 

Arab pony, 148. 

Arab studs in England and America, 1 1. 

Arabian, Darley, 15. 

Ardennais, 113. 

Ass, the, 155; African wild, 155; an- 
cestry of, 155; Asiatic wild, 155; 
characteristics, 155; to America, in- 
troduction, 160. 

Australian Merinos, 344. 

Ayrshire cattle, 287 ; as beef producers, 
293 ; as butter cows, 292 ; as milk 



producers, 291 ; characteristics, 289; 
cross-bred or grade, 294 ; distribution, 
294 ; early improvers, 288 ; introduc- 
tion America, 289 ; native home, 287 ; 
origin, 287 ; size, 291. 
Ayshire herd milk records, 291 ; in pub- 
lic tests, 292 ; milk for cheese, 293 ; 
milk records, 292 ; organizations pro- 
moting interests, 294. 

Bacon pigs, breeding, 535 ; weight, 

535- 

Bacon type pig, characteristics, 533 ; 
demand for, 532. 

Bakewell, Robert, improver of Shire, 
125, 429. 

Bar None (2388), 128. 

Barb, Godolphin, 15. 

Baron's Pride (9122), 118. 

Bates, Thomas, 177. 

Beautiful Bells, 48. 

Beef animal, general appearance of, 
169; quality of, 173. 

Beef cattle, fleshing of, 174. 

Beef type compared, dual-purpose and, 
307 ; of cattle, 169. 

Belgian Draft Horse, American Asso- 
ciation of Importers of, 137 ; char- 
acteristics of, 137; cross-bred, 139; 
distribution, 139; exhibitions in 
United States, 136; history in 
America, 136. 

Belgian horse, 133. 

Belgium as a horse-breeding country, 
133; draft-horse shows in, 135; horse- 
breeding methods in, 134; Official 
Draft Ilorse Society of, 133. 

Bellfounder, 37, 66. 

Belted cattle. See Dutch Belted. 

Benedict (10315) 9300. 118. 

Berkshire pig, adaptability to environ- 
ment, 478 ; as feeder, 479 ; as grazer, 
479 ; as source red swine, 506 ; boars, 
476; characteristics, 476; charac- 
teristics old type, 473 ; color, 476 ; 
cross-bred or grade, 480 ; distribu- 
tion, 4S2 ; early improvement, 472; 
early-maturing, 478 ; families, 475 ; 



555 



556 



INDEX 



fecundity and prolificacy, 481 ; foun- 
dation stock, 472 ; improvers early, 
473 ; improvers, modern, 474 ; in 
Poland-China evolution, 486; intro- 
duction to America, 474 ; native 
home, 472; organizations for pro- 
moting, 482 ; pork, 480 ; prepotency, 
482 ; prices, 483 ; size, 477 ; style 
and finish, 482. 

Big China pig, 4S5. 

Black Faced Highland sheep, charac- 
teristics, 453 ; cross-bred or grade, 
454; distribution, 454; introduction 
in America, 453 ; native home, 452 ; 
origin, 452 ; special field in America 
for, 454; special value, 453. 

Black Top Merino, characteristics, 362 ; 
Spanish Merino, 361. 

Blake strain, 140. 

Blythwood Conqueror (14997), i-8- 

Books, miscellaneous live-stock, 554; 
on cattle, reference, 332 ; on horse, 
reference, 167; on pigs, 554; on 
sheep and goats, 466. 

Booth family, 178. 

Border Leicester sheep, 435 ; charac- 
teristics, 436; in America, 436; or- 
ganization to promote, 436; rams 
on Cheviot ewes, 436. 

Boulonnais, iii. 

Breton, 1 12. 

Brienz 168, dairy test, 329. 

British home Hackney, early, 63. 

Bronchos, 14S. 

Broomfield Champion (95), 116. 

Brown Swiss cattle, 326 ; adaptability, 
330; as beef producers, 330; Breed- 
ers' Association, American, 331 ; 
characteristics, 327 ; dairy qualities, 
328 ; distribution, 330 ; in crossing 
or grading, 331 ; in United States, 
introduction, 326 ; native home, 
326; origin, 326; size, 328. 

Bury Chief Victor (11 105), 128. 

Byerly Turk, 15. 

Byfield pig, 484. 

Canadian cattle. See French Canadian. 

Cheshire pig as a feeder, 516; as a 
grazer, 517; Breeders' Association, 
517; characteristics, 515; cross-bred 
or grade, 516; distribution, 517; fe- 
cundity, 517; meat, 516; native home, 
514; origin, 514; popularity, 517; size, 

515- 
Chester White pig as feeder, 501 ; as 
grazer, 503; breeding qualities, 502; 
characteristics, 500 ; cross-bred or 



grade, 502 ; distribution, 503 ; meat 
of, 503 ; organizations to promote, 
503 ; origin Improved, 497 ; origin 
Ohio Improved, 499 ; original type, 
497; prices paid for, 504; size, 500. 

Cheviot sheep as grazer, 417; charac- 
teristics, 416; cross-bred or grade, 
418; distribution, 419; for mutton, 
417; for wool, 418; hardiness, 418; 
introduction to United States, 416; 
native home, 415; on range, 419; 
organizations to promote, 420; origin, 
415; prices for, 420; prolific charac- 
ter, 418; size, 417. 

Clay family, 41. 

Cleveland Bay horse, 86; as a breed, 
purity, 87 ; as roadster, 90 ; charac- 
teristics, 89 ; distribution, 90 ; early 
purpose, 87 ; half-bred or grade, 90 ; 
in America, 88 ; native home, 86 ; 
origin, 86; studbooks, 90. 

Clyde, alias Glancer (153), 116. 

Clydesdale horse, 114; as a breed, 
distribution, 122; breeders' associa- 
tions, 122; characteristics, 118; criti- 
cisms of, 123; early history, 114; 
half-bred or grade, 1 23 ; high prices 
for, 123; introduction to America, 
120; of merit in America, 121 ; ori- 
gin modern, 114; sires, important, 
115, 118; to United States, promi- 
nent introducers of, 122 ; use English 
blood on, 115. 

Coach horse, action, 62 ; sub-classes, 62. 

Coates''s Herd book, 195. 

Colling brothers, 176. 

Cotswold sheep, ancestry, 437 ; as 
feeder, 440 ; as grazer, 441 ; breeding 
qualities, 441; characteristics, 439; 
distribution, 442 ; for crossing and 
grading, 441; for mutton, 440; for 
wool, 442 ; introduction to America, 
438 ; native home, 437 ; organizations 
for promoting, 442 ; origin name, 437 ; 
size, 440. 

Cruickshank, Amos, 179. 

Dairy type compared, dual-purpose and, 
307 ; of cattle, 243 ; quality of, 248. 

Darley, Arabian, i 5. 

Darnley (222), 117. 

Dartmoor ponies. New Forest and, 148. 

Davy, John Tanner, 320. 

Delaine, type, maintenance, 362. 

Delaine, word, 357. 

Delaine Merino, 357 ; adaptability of, 
364 ; as a feeder, 364 ; breeding (jual- 
ity, 364 ; cross-bred or grade, 364 ; 



INDEX 



557 



Dickinson, 358 ; distribution of, 364 ; 
mutton value,' 363; National, 359, 
360 ; organizations promoting, 364 ; 
origin, 357 ; types, 357 ; Victor-Beall, 
360. 

Denmark horse, 27. 

Devon cattle, 319; as butcher's beast, 
323 ; as grazers, 324 ; as milkers, 323 ; 
characteristics, 322 ; distribution, 324; 
early improvers, 319; in crossing or 
grading, 324 ; introduction to Amer- 
ica, 320; native home, 319; organiza- 
tions to promote, 325; origin, 319; 
popularity in America, 325 ; size, 323 ; 
two types, 322. 

Devon oxen, 324. 

Dexter-Kerry, 303. 

Dickinson Delaine, 358 ; characteristics, 

359- 

Dolly Bloom 12770, 2S2. 

Dorset Horn sheep, as a feeder, 411 ; 
characteristics, 410; distribution, 413; 
fecundity of, 412; for crossing or 
grading, 412; for early lambs, 411; 
for mutton, 411; for wool, 413 ; intro- 
duction to America, 409 ; native 
home, 408; organizations to promote, 
414; origin, 408; popularity of, 413; 
size, 410. 

Dorset horns protection from dogs, 413. 

Draft horse, action, 92 ; breeds French, 
III; general conformation, 92 ; meas- 
urements, 97. 

Draft type, 92. 

Drivers of light harness horses, 53. 

Dual-puipose and beef type compared, 
307 ; dairy type compared, 307. 

Dual-purpose cattle, demand for, 308 ; 
two classes of, 307. 

Dual-puipose type cattle, 307 ; relation- 
ship size to, 308. 

Duroc breed red pigs, 506. 

Duroc-Jersey pig, as a feeder, 510 ; as a 
grazer, 511 ; breeding characteristics, 
512; characteristics, 509; cross-bred 
or grade, 512; distinction, 508; dis- 
tribution, 512 ; environment for, 510 
improvement, 508 ; improvers, 50S 
maturing qualities, 510; meat, 512 
organizations to promote, 513 ; origin, 
507; size, 510; slaughter tests, 511. 

Dutch Belted cattle, 296 ; adaptability, 
298 ; as beef producer, 298 ; character- 
istics, 297 ; cross-bred or grade, 299 ; 
dairy importance, 298 ; distribution, 
299; introduction to America, 297; 
native home, 296; origin, 296; pro- 
motion, 299 ; records, 298. 



Eclipse, 16. 

Ellman, John, 378. 

England, horses introduced into, 15; 

improvement Jersey cattle in, 251 ; 

prior to Elizabeth, horse in, 14. 
English-bred horses, three, 16 ; Merinos, 

344- 

Eohippus, 3. 

Epihippus, 3. 

Ecjuus, 4. 

Escurial Merinos, 342. 

Escutcheon, 248. 

Essex pigs, as feeders, 523; character- 
istics, 522 ; cross-bred or grade, 523 ; 
distribution, 524 ; early native type, 
521 ; establishment Improved, 521 ; 
fecundity, 524; improvement, 521; 
introduction to America, 522 ; matur- 
ing qualities, 523; meat, 523; native 
home, 521 ; organizations to promote, 
524; size, 523; special field for, 523. 

Exmoor pony, 147. 

Fleshing of beef cattle, 174. 
Flocks of Spain, provincial, 341. 
France, classes breeding stallions in, 

76; horse racing in, 72; Percheron 

shows in, 109. 
French Canadian cattle, 300 ; breeding 

qualities, 302; characteristics, 300; 

distribution, 302 ; grazing qualities, 

301 ; hardy character, 301 ; maturing 

qualities, 302 ; milk production by, 

301; native home, 300; origin, 300; 

promotion, 302. 
French Coach horse, 72 ; characteristics, 

77; distribution and adaptation, 79; 

grade or half bred. So ; origin, 73 ; 

source of stock, 73, 74 ; speed records, 

78. 
French Draft Association, National, 

113- 

French Draft horse, 11 1 ; breeds, iii. 

French horse, history, early, 72 ; Jockey 
Club, 72 ; methods to promote horse 
improvement of, 75 ; race track, 78. 

French Merinos or Rambouillets, 344. 

Fullerton, William, 216. 

Galliers, William, 202. 

Gallipoli, 99. 

Galloway bulls of distinction, 233. 

Galloway cattle, 225 ; American im- 
provers of, 233 ; as a meat producer, 
230; as milk producer, 232; associa- 
tions for promoting, 228; character- 
istics of, 228; criticisms of the, 229; 
cross-bred, 230 ; distribution of, 233 ; 



55S 



iNi)i-:x 



hardiness of, 230; hide of, 230; im- 
provement of, 225; introduction to 
America, 227; native liome of, 225; 
origin of, 225; prepotency of the, 231 ; 
prices for, 233 ; size of the, 232. 
General-purpose type cattle, dual or, 

307- 

German Coach horse, 81 ; characteris- 
tics, 84 ; distribution, 85 ; history, 
81; history in America, 83; impor- 
tant, 85; mares, 85; organization in 
America, 83; studbook, 85; type, 82. 

German or Silesian Merinos, 343. 

Germany, home horse breeding in, 81 ; 
records horse breeding in, 8i ; super- 
vision horse breeding in, 82. 

Glancer (335) alias Thompson's Black 
Horse, 116. 

Goat. See Angora. 

Goat, age milch, 464 ; Appenzell, 462 ; 
as milk producer, 460; Association 
American Milch, 463 ; fecundity 
milch, 464; importations America 
milch, 465 ; lactation period, 463 ; 
Langensalzaer, 462; Maltese, 460; 
Nubian, 462; Saanen, 462 ; Schwarz- 
thal, 463; Toggenburg, 461. 

Goats, milk-producing, 460 ; price milch, 
464. 

Godolphin, 99; Barb, 15. 

Grant, Sir George Macpherson, 215. 

Green Mountain Maid, 48. 

Guadalupe Merinos, 342. 

Guernsey bulls of distinction, 284. 

Guernsey cattle, 276; as butter pro- 
ducers, 280; butter records, 281, 282 ; 
characteristics, 278 ; cross-bred or 
grade, 283; distribution, 284; im- 
provement, 276; in beef production, 
283 ; introduction to America, 277 ; 
maturing character, 2S3 ; milk records, 
279; native iiome, 276; organizations 
to promote, 285; origin, 276; size, 
279. 

Guernsey milk, cheese value, 282. 

Guinea breed of pigs, 505. 

Hackney horse, 63 ; characteristics, 68 ; 
color of the, 69; development of, 
64; distribution of, 71 ; early British 
home, 63 ; evolution of, 64 ; half-bred 
or grade, 70 ; in America, 66 ; pony, 
T49; Horse Society, 71; soundness 
of the, 69; speed and endurance, 66; 
stock, original, 63; use word, 63. 

Hal family, 42. 

Hambletonian 10, 38, 39. 

Hambletonian family, 37. 



Hampshire Down sheep, associations to 
promote, 407 ; as grazer, 406 ; cross- 
bred or grade, 406; distribution, 406; 
early improvement, 402 ; fecundity, 
406 ; for early lambs, 405 ; for wool, 
406 ; introduction to America, 404 ; 
native home, 402 ; origin, 402 ; prices 
for, 407 ; size of, 405. 

Hampshire swine. See T/iin Ri)id. 

Harold (3703), 128. 

Hereford cattle, 201 ; as meat pro- 
ducers, 209 ; breeders, early, 202 ; 
nineteenth century, 203; characteris- 
tics, 206; distribution, 210; intro- 
duction to America, 205 ; native 
home, 201 ; of note in America, 206 ; 
organizations to promote, 212; origin, 
201 ; prices for, 211. 

Hereford steers in American fat stock 
shows, 210. 

Herefords of importance, foundation, 
204. 

Herod (King Herod), 16. 

Hewer, John, 203. 

Hipparion, 4. 

Hitchin Conqueror (4458), 129. 

Holstein-Friesian, as producer of milk, 
269; butter records, 271; milk for 
cheese, 272. 

Holstein-Friesian bulls, great, 274. 

Holstein-Friesian cattle as butter pro- 
ducers, 269; breeding and maturing 
power, 274; characteristics, 266; 
distribution of, 275; families of 
prominence, 274; grade or cross- 
bred, 272 ; introduction to America, 
264; measurements, 268; native 
home of, 264 ; official testing of, 
270; organizations for promoting, 
274 ; origin name, 264 ; records, 270; 
size of, 268; oxen, 273. 

Honest Tom (1062), 127. 

Honest Tom (1105), 128. 

Horse, connection of modern and pre- 
historic, 6 ; discovery in America 
prehistoric, 1 ; distribution prehis- 
toric, 2 ; evolution of, 2 ; man and 
prehistoric, 6 ; racing in England, 14 ; 
reference books on, 167. 

Horses, number of record-making, 52 ; 
prices paid for standard bred, 52. 

Hyracotherium, 3. 

Improved Black Top Merino, 362. 
Indian pony, 148. 
Infantado Merinos, 342. 
Irish Grazier pig, Poland-China and, 
486. 



INDEX 



559 



Jack, Catalonian, 157; height for, 159; 
Majorca, 158; Maltese, 156; Poitou, 
158. 

Jacks and jennets, American Breeders' 
Association, 160 ; high prices for, 160. 

Jeffries, Thomas, 204. 

Jennets, American Breeders' Associa- 
tion of Jacks and, 160. 

Jersey bulls siring tested daughters, 
261. 

Jersey cattle, 249 ; as beef producers, 
259; as milkfat producers, 255; as 
producers of milk, 25S ; butter rec- 
ords, notable, 256; characteristics, 
252; distribution, 262; early matur- 
ity, 262 ; for crossing and grading, 
259 ; importation to America, 252 ; in 
England, improvement, 251 ; native 
home, 249; organizations for promot- 
ing, 263 ; origin, 249 ; prices for, 261 ; 
reproductive power, 262; size, 255. 

Jersey families of distinction, 260 ; 
island, purity cattle on, 250; milk 
for cheese making, 25S ; type, im- 
provement old, 250. 

Jersey Red pig. See Diiroc-Jersey. 

John Bull (i 169), 127. 

Justin Morgan, 39. 

Keheilan, 9. 

Keheilet, 9, 10. 

Kent sheep, early type, 450; in 
America, 451 ; modem type, 451 ; 
native home, 450. 

Kerry cattle, 303 ; as beef producer, 
305 ; as milk producer, 304 ; char- 
acteristics, 303 ; distribution, 306 ; 
hardy character, 305 ; in cross-breed- 
ing, 306 ; maturing characteristics, 
305 ; native home, 303 ; organiza- 
tion, 306 ; size, 304 ; true, 303. 

Langensalzaer goat, 462. 

Large white pig, 536. 

Large Yorkshire pig, ancestry, 536; as 
a bacon producer, 541 ; as feeders, 
542 ; characteristics, 538 ; cross-breds, 
540 ; distribution, 543 ; early improv- 
ers, 538 ; early-maturing, 540 ; intro- 
duction to America, 543 ; popularity 
in United States, 543; prolificacy, 
542; size, 539; slaughter test, 541. 

Leicester sheep as grazer, 434 ; Bake- 
well type, 43 1 ; Border type, 435 ; 
breeding qualities, 434 ; characteris- 
tics Border, 436 ; cross-bred Cheviot- 
Border, 436 ; cross-bred or grade, 432 ; 
distribution, 434; for mutton, 432; 



for wool, 433 ; improvement, 429 ; 
in America, Border, 436 ; introduc- 
tion to America, 430 ; native home, 
429 ; origin, 429 ; organizations to 
promote, 435 ; organization to pro- 
mote Border, 436; popularity, 434; 
size, 432. 
Lincoln sheep as grazers, 446 ; breeders 
and improvers of, 448 ; breeding 
quality, 447 ; characteristics, 444 ; 
cross-bred or grade, 446 ; distribution, 
448; for mutton, 445 ; for wool, 446; 
introduction America, 443 ; native 
home, 443 ; organizations to promote, 
448 ; origin, 443 ; prices for, 449 ; size, 
445 ; Lincolnshire Lad II {1365), 127. 

McCombie, William, 214. 

Maltese goat, 460. 

Mambrino Chief, 38 ; family, 38. 

Man and prehistoric horse, 6. 

Martin's Boxer strain, 141. 

Matchem, 16. 

Merino sheep, Aguirre, 342 ; American, 
339 ; as wool producer, American, 349 ; 
Australian, 344 ; Black Top Spanish, 
361 ; breeding qualities American, 
351; characteristics, 335, 348; Class 
A, 333; Class B, 334; Class C, 334; 
conformation, '^IZ''' cross-bred or 
grade American, 350; Delaine, 357; 
distribution, 352 ; drives in Spain, an- 
nual, 340; early improvers, 346; Eng- 
lish, 344 ; Escurial, 342 ; exportation 
from Spain, 343 ; fiber, fineness, 350 ; 
fleece to body, relationship weight, 
349 ; German or Silesian, 343 ; Gua- 
dalupe, 342 ; Improved Black Top, 
362 ; Infantado, 342 ; introduction to 
United States, 344 ; mania for, 346 ; 
maturing qualities, American, 352 ; 
mutton qualities, American, 350; 
native home, 339 ; Negrette, 342 ; 
organizations to promote, 352 ; origin, 
343 ; origin. Delaine, 357 ; Paular, 
341 ; Rambouillets or French, 344 ; 
rams, famous, 353 ; Saxon, 343 ; size, 
American, 349 ; show-ring victory, 
355 ; Swedish, 343 ; three classes, 
ZZZ'^ type, 333; ^vool, 338; prices 
for, 354 ; subtypes or families, 355 ; 
use of three classes, 335. 

Mesohippus, 3. 

Messenger, 37. 

Middle White or Middle Yorkshire 
swine, 544. 

Middle Yorkshire or Middle White 
swine, 544. 



56o 



INDEX 



Milch goat. See Goat. 

Milk veins, 247. 

Miss Russell, 48. 

Mohair, prices of, 458. 

Morgan family, 39. 

Mule, 161 ; a hybrid, 161 ; as carriage 
or saddle animal, 165; best type of, 
164; characteristics, 162; color of, 
164; distribution of, 161 ; endurance 
of, 164; in history, 161 ; Poitou, 165; 
raising in United States, 161 ; resist- 
ance to disease, 165; sex of, 166; 
temperament of, 164. 

Mules, classification, 162: levee, 163; 
lumber, 163; mine, 163; plantation, 
162; prices paid for, 166; railroad, 
163. 

Mustangs, 148. 

Mutton conformation, 375. 

Mutton type of sheep, 375. 

National Delaine, 359, 360. 

Negrette Merinos, 342. 

New Forest and Dartmoor ponies, 
148. 

Nivernais, 112. 

Norfolk Red Polled cattle, 310; amal- 
gamation Suffolk and, 310. 

Nubian goat, 462. 

Ohio Importing Company, 183. 

Orloff horse, characteristics of, 54 ; color 
of, 56 ; cross American trotter and, 
57; importations of, 56; origin of, 
54 ; speed of, 57 ; trotter, 54 ; types 
of, 56. 

Orohippus, 3. 

Oxen, Devon, 324. 

Oxford Down sheep, as feeders, 398 ; 
characteristics, 396 ; cross-bred or 
grade, 398; distribution, 400; for 
wool, 399 ; introduction to America, 
396 ; native home, 395 ; organiza- 
tions to promote, 401; origin, 395; 
prices paid for, 401 ; prolific quality, 
400 ; size of, 398. 

Pace, explanation of, 49 ; interchange- 
able, trot and, 49. 

Pacer, the, 49; ancestry of the, 49. 

Pacers, sires of trotters and, 47. 

Pacing, brood mares, list of trotting or, 
48 ; families, money-winning trotting 
or, 52 ; horse, conformation of, 50 ; 
records, 51 ; standard, 50. 

Packington Blind Morse, 127, 

Parahippus, 4. 

Paular Merinos, 341. 



Percheron horse, 98 ; Associations, 
American, 104; cross-bred or grade, 
107; deterioration, loi; distribution 
in America, 107; early type, 100; 
history in United States, important, 
106; improvement in France, 104; 
introduction to United States, 106; 
origin, 98 ; original home, 98 ; popu- 
larity of, 1 10; prices paid for, 109; 
Society of France, 104 ; type about 
1877 of, loi ; type of to-day, 102. 

Percheron shows in France, 109. 

Percheron sires, famous, 108. 

Percheron studbooks, 105. 

Picardy, 1 13. 

Pig, American type, 467 ; bacon type, 
532- 533; books on, 554; breeding 
bacon, 535 ; Byfield, 484 ; disposition 
fat type, 471 ; fleshing quality, 470; 
general appearance, 467; hair, 471; 
Russian, 484 ; weight bacon, 535. 

Pilot, 42 ; family, 42. 

Pliohippus, 4. 

Poitou, 165. 

Poland-China, adoption name, 486. 

Poland-China pig, adaptability to envi- 
ronment, 490 ; and Irish Grazier pig, 
486; as feeder, 491 ; as grazer, 491 ; 
boars of note, 488 ; distribution, 494 ; 
early-maturing, 491 ; evolution, Berk- 
shire in, 4S6 ; characteristics, 489 ; 
color, 490; cross-bred or grade, 493; 
fecundity and prolificacy, 493 ; im- 
provers, 487 ; meat, 493 ; native home, 
484; organizations to promote, 494; 
origin, 484 ; prices for, 495 ; size, 490 ; 
sows of note, 488. 

Polled Durham cattle, 197; distribution 
of, 200; double standard, 197; herd- 
book, American, 200; origin word, 
197; popularity of, 200; prepotency, 
200 ; promotion of interests of, 200 ; 
requirements for registering, 199; 
single standard, 197. 

Polo pony, 146. 

Ponies, 146; New Forest and Dart- 
moor, 148. 

Pony, Arab, 148; Exmoor, 147; height 
of, 146; improvement of Shetland, 
152; Indian, 148; Polo, 146; Welsh, 
146; Welsh mountain, 147. 

Portuguese pigs, 505. 

Position legs horse, proper, 61. 

Prehistoric horse, i ; and man, 6 ; exist- 
ence of, I ; color of, 5 ; connection 
of modern and, 6. 

Premier {2646), 128. 

Price, John, 203. 



INDEX 



561 



Prince of Wales {673), 116. 
Prince William (3956), 128. 
Protohippus, 4. 
Protorohippus, 3. 
Przewalskii's horse, 6. 

Quartly, Francis, 319. 

Racing in England, horse, 14. 

Kambouillet sheep, the, 366; ancestry, 
366; as mutton producer, 371; as 
wool producer, 372; breeding quali- 
ties, 372 ; characteristics, 370 ; cross- 
bred or grade, 372 ; distribution, 373 ; 
early maturity, 373 ; French Merinos 
or, 344 ; hardy quality, 373 ; improve- 
ment, 367 ; introduction to United 
States, 368 ; native home, 366 ; or- 
ganizations to promote, 373 ; prices 
for, 374 ; size of, 371. 

Red or sandy-colored pigs in America, 

505- 

Red pigs. See Duroc-Jersey. 

Red Polled cattle, 309 ; amalgamation 
Suffolk and Norfolk, 310; as beef 
producers, 314; as butter producers, 
316; as milk producers, 315; char- 
acteristics, 312; in crossing or grad- 
ing, 316; deficiencies of, 317; distri- 
bution, 318; groups and tribes, 311 ; 
introduction to America, 312; milk 
records, 315; native home, 309; or- 
ganizations promoting, 318; origin, 
309; weight, 314. 

Red swine, Berkshire as source, 506. 

Roadster type, 33. 

Romney Marsh. See Kent. 

Russian pig, 484. 

Saanen goat, 462. 

Saddle animal, mule as carriage or, 
165. 

Saddle horse, American, 26; Breeders' 
Association, American, 32 ; charac- 
teristics of, 28 ; foundation stock 
American, 27 ; gaits of, 28, 29 ; his- 
tory, American, 26; influence Thor- 
oughbred on American, 26. 

Saddle horses, famous, 28; prices paid 
for, 32. 

Sandy-colored pigs in America, red or, 

505- 
Saxon Merinos, 343. 
Schwarzthal goat, 462. 
Scotch Clydesdale Horse Society, 

122. 
Shadingfield strain, 141. 
Shales, The Original, 65. 



Shetland ponies, of interest, 1 54 ; prices 
paid for, 1 53. 

Shetland pony, 150; ancestry, 150; 
characteristics, 151 ; improvement of, 
152 ; in America, use of, 153 ; native 
home, 150; organization, 154; type 
of, 150. 

Shire horse, characteristics, 129; breed- 
ing in England, 124; critics in Amer- 
ica of, 130; demand for the, 131; 
distribution of the, 131 ; early history, 
124; importations to America of, 
130; importers of, 132; in crossing, 
use of, 131; in show ring, 132; 
modern, 126; old-fashioned, 125; 
organizations to promote the, 131 ; 
origin of, 124; Robert Bakewell, im- 
prover of, 125; Society, 131; stal- 
lions, important, 127 ; varieties of the, 
126. 

Shorthorn cattle, as butcher's beast, 
187; as milk producer, 190; at 
Louisiana Purchase Exposition 
dairy test, 192; breeders, other 
important, 180; characteristics, 184; 
color of, 186; dairy records, 191; 
grading or crossing, 1S9; herdbook, 
American, 195 ; imported to America, 
first, 183; improvers of the, 176; 
origin of, 175 ; original home of, 175 ; 
quality of, 187 ; steers at International 
Exposition, 188; steers in show ring, 
188. 

Shorthorns in America, men who have 
promoted, 196; of interest, indi- 
vidual foundation, 180; prices re- 
ceived for, 193. 

Shropshire sheep as grazer, 392 ; char- 
acteristics, 389 ; cross-bred or grade, 
391 ; distribution of, 393 ; early im- 
provers, 388 ; early-maturing, 392 ; 
fecundity of, 391 ; for general pur- 
pose, 393 ; for mutton, 390 ; for 
wool, 392; introduction to America, 
388 ; native home, 387 ; orraniza- 
tions to promote, 393 ; origin, 387 ; 
prices for, 394 ; size of, 390 ; vigor 

of' 393- 
Silesian Merinos, German or, 343. 
Small white swine, strains or families, 

5-5- 
Small Yorkshire pig, as a grazer, 528; 

characteristics, 526; cross-bred or 
grade, 528 ; distribution, 529 ; early- 
maturing, 527; fecundity, 528; in- 
troduction to America, 525 ; meat, 
528 ; organizations to promote, 529 ; 
origin, 525; popularity, 528; size, 527, 



562 



INDEX 



Southdown sheep, 378 ; adaptability 
of, 384 ; as feeder, 383 ; breeding 
qualities, 384; characteristics, 381; 
criticism, 385 ; cross-bred or grade, 
384 ; distribution, 385 ; early im- 
provers of, 378 ; for wool, 384 ; in- 
troduction to America, 381 ; mutton, 
3S3 ; native home, 378 ; nobility 
breeding, 380 ; organizations pro- 
moting, 385; original stock, 378; 
prices for, 386; size of, 382. 

Spain, annual Merino drives in, 340; 
exportation Merinos from, 343 ; pro- 
vincial flocks of, 341 ; sheep hus- 
bandry in, 339. 

Spanish Merino, Black Top, 361. 

Spanish red pigs, 505. 

Spanish sheep, two groups, 340. 

Standard-bred horses, prices paid for, 52. 

Standard-bred trotter, what is a, 44. 

Standard Delaine, 360. 

Standard pacing, 50. 

Studbook, Thoroughbred, 24. 

Suffolk and Norfolk Red Polled Cattle, 
amalgamation, 310. 

Suffolk Down sheep, as feeder, 423 ; 
characteristics, 422 ;• cross-bred or 
grade, 423 ; distribution, 423 ; fecun- 
dity, 423 ; for mutton, 423 ; for wool, 
423; introduction to America, 421; 
native home, 421; organizations to 
promote, 424; size, 422 ; origin, 421. 

Suffolk horse, characteristics, 142; 
cross-bred, 145; distribution, 145; 
draft horse, 144; early career, 140; 
fecundity and longevity of, 145; for- 
eign blood to improve, 140; founda- 
tion, 140; history modern, 141; in 
America, history, 142; native home 
of, 140; studbook, 145. 

Suffolk pig, characteristics, American, 
530; distribution, American, 531; 
English, 530 ; in breed comparison, 
531 ; origin, American, 530. 

Suffolk Red Polled cattle, 309. 

Sussex cattle, 234 ; beef properties, 
235; characteristics, 234; cross-bred 
and grade, 236 ; distribution, 236 ; 
early-maturing and grazing value, 236; 
introduction to America, 234 ; milk- 
giving qualities, 235; native home, 
234; origin, 234; promotion of, 237 ; 
size, 235. 

Swedish Merinos, 343. 

Swine, of Miami Valley, 484; type val- 
ued in United States, 467. 

Swiss cattle, races, 326. See Brmun 
S'wiss. 



Tam worth pig, ancestry, 545 ; as bacon, 
547 ; as a feeder, 548 ; as a grazer, 
550; characteristics, 546; criticisms, 
550 ; cross-bred or grade, 549 ; dis- 
tribution, 550; early type, 545 ; fe- 
cundity, 549; improvement, 545; in- 
troduction America, 546; maturing 
quality, 548; native home, 545; or- 
ganizations to promote, 550 ; size, 

547- . 

Thin Rind pig, as a grazer, 553; char- 
acteristics, 552; distribution, 553; 
fecundity, 553; grade or cross-bred, 
553 ; meat, 553 ; organizations to pro- 
mote, 553; origin of, 551 ; size, 552. 

Thoroughbred horse, 14; color of, 21 ; 
conformation of, 20 ; distribution, 21 ; 
height, 21 ; influence on American 
saddle horse of, 26; origin of, 17; 
speed of, 22, 23 ; studbook, 24 ; tem- 
perament, 21 ; weight, 21. 

Thoroughbred sires, famous, 24, 25. 

Thoroughbreds, importationsto 
America of, 19; names famous, 17; 
prices of, 21 ; prominent American, 
19; prominent British, 18. 

Toggenburg goat, 461. 

Tom Hal, 42. 

Tomkins family, 202. 

Trot, explanation of, 49. 

Trot and pace interchangeable, 49. 

Trotter, American, 36; cross of Orloff 
and American, 57; definition standard- 
bred, 44; in America, early use, 36; 
speed of the, 46; type of American, 

43- 

Trotters and pacers, sires of, 47. 

Trotting, blood in America, source, 36. 

Trotting families of note, 37. 

Trotting horse, history of English, 36. 

Trotting or pacing brood mares, list, 48. 

Trotting or pacing families, money-win- 
ning, 52. 

Trotting records, fast, 47. 

Trotting register, 44. 

Tunis Sheep, Breeders' Association, 
428 ; characteristics, 426 ; cross-bred 
or grade, 427 ; distribution, 428 ; 
fecundity of, 428 ; for early lambs, 
427 ; for mutton, 427 ; for wool, 428 ; 
introduction to America, 425 ; native 
home, 425 ; origin, 425; size, 427. 

Turk, Byerly, 15/ 

Type of cattle, beef, 169; dairy, 243. 

Type, quality of dairy, 248. 

Udder, 246. 

United States, mule raising in, 161. 



INDEX 



563 



Veins, milk, 247. 

Victor-Beall Delaine, 360. 

Victoria pig, adaptability, 520; argu- 
ment for, 520; as a feeder, 520; 
association for promoting, 520; 
breeding qualities, 520; character- 
istics, 519; cross-bred or grade, 520; 
Curtis, 518; Davis, 518; distribution, 
520; origin, 518; pork, 520; size, 
519. 

Watson, Hugh, 214. 
Webb, Jonas, 379. 
Welsh mountain pony, 147. 
Welsh pony, 146. 



West Highland cattle, 238 ; as beef 
producers, 240; breeders' organiza- 
tion, 242; breeding qualities, 241; 
characteristics, 238 ; cross-bred or 
grade, 241 ; distribution, 242; hardi- 
ness of, 240 ; introduction to America, 
238; milking qualities, 241; native 
home, 238 ; origin, 238 ; size, 240. 

William the Conqueror {2343), 128. 

Wright strain, 141. 

Yeksa Sunbeam, 281. 
Yorkshire Coach horse, 91. 
Yorkshire pig, ancestry Large, 536 ; 
Small, 525. 



3A77 



